Boros István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 6. (Budapest 1955)
Szunyoghy, J.: A preliminary notice concerning the collectings of mammals, in connection with the researches on the disease nephroso-nephritis haemorrhagica in Hungary
A Preliminary Notice Concerning the Collectings of Mammals, in Connection with the Researches on the Disease nephrosonephritis haemorrhagica in Hungary By J. S z u n y o g h y, Budapest Hungarian army physicists had been the first in Europe to show the infectious disease nephroso-nephritis haemorrhagica. This malady had been known up to now in the Far East only : in the soviet and manchurian regions of the lower reaches of the river Amur, and in Korea. Since in the spreading of the disease almost all authors ascribe a primary role to the wild rodents, it was an indispensable task to collect and thoroughly examine them with reference also to Hungary. Soviet workers attribute a preeminent role in the spreading of the disease to the reed vole ( Microtus fortis michnoi Kastsch.), indeed, they are of the opinion that where this rodent is absent the disease is also nonexistent. A certain correspondance had been found between the morbidity of the disease and the oscillations in the density of populations of Microtus fortis michnoi. It had been established, namely, that when the morbidity of the disease is high, the reed vole populations also increase, and if the morbidity be low, the population will accordingly decrease. Acting on the request of the Military Sanitary Reasearch Institute, I had been away twice on a collecting trip to capture small mammals in an army camp, in the mountainous and woody regions of the Transdanubium. The first time on the 12—13 July, 1954 ; some weeks after the occurrence of the disease. We have laid a part of our traps at the place of infection, where the pulleddown tents stood ; and some also in the surrounding standing yet already relinquished tents. Another part of the traps have been put in the shrubby and untouched undergrowth, from where the animals could arrive at the tents, in the immediate vicinity of the area of infection. The traps had been hourly inspected ; the animals captured had been wrapped singly in separate paper parcels to avoid the scattering away of the ectoparasites from the dead bodies. The specific somposition and numbers of the animals captured was the following; 24 specimens of the yellow-necked field mouse (Apodemus flavicollisN[e\ch.), 1 specimen of Mus spicilegus Pet., 4 specimens of the common red — backed vole (Clethrionomys glareolus Schreb.), 2 specimens of the common vole (Microtus arvalis Pall.), 3 specimens of the common shrew (Sorex araneus L.), 1 specimen of the common mole (Talpa europea L.). This aggregation of animals has nothing to reveal in itself, since the species can everywhere be found in our home oak and beech forests in the hills of the Transdanubium. Of these preliminary collectings it was clear, however, that Apodemus flavicollis was present in the highest numbers in the habitat in question.
