Serological evidence of antibodies to certain arboviruses in desert rodent sera in Egypt

Small rodents inhabiting the wadis close to St Katherine in the mountains of the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, were trapped and antibodies to Sindbis [SIN], West Nile [WN] and Quaranfil [QRF] viruses in their sera were studied. One mouse had Haemagglutination-inhibition [HI] antibodies against SIN antigen in his serum, 3 mice had HI antibodies against WN antigen in their sera. The titers is low to be of any significance. It seems that natural cycle of transmission of SIN and WN viruses involving rodents does not exist. Seven mice had Complement-fixation [CF] antibodies in their sera against Quaranfil antigen. Conclusion, the CF test results suggest the existence of another mammal vector cycle