Evidence of infection by viruses in small British field rodents

Four populations of small wild British rodents were studied by capture--re-capture methods over a period of three years. Samples of blood were taken from these animals and tested for antibodies to nine viruses. Animals were removed from another 11 sites around the UK, and immunosuppressed. Samples of tissue from these animals were tested for the presence of viruses by passage in laboratory mice and serum samples from some of them were tested for antibody to the nine viruses. Indications were found of the possible influence of epizootic outbreaks of certain diseases on animal populations.