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
but not least, by the post mortem analysis of animals perished in the field, the conception is also plausible that the virus of the disease infects since long the organisms of our home rodents but that the recognition of the malady had been made the first time in the last year. The above pathological find is very significant. Notably, on the ground of Soviet researches, it was known that only a vole of the Far East, Microtis fortis michnoi, will catch the disease, not lethal to it. Now it transpired that, in Hungary, the hosts of the vectors of the disease can both be Apodemus flavicollis and Clethrionomys glareolus. Our second collectings had testified on the further interesting fact that animals caught at a distance of 150—200 meters from the infected tents had also been infected by the viruses of the disease. Though we are incognizant of the radius of action of the species listed above, the animals, escaped from the traps during our collectings and then again fortuitously recaptured at the same place or in its vicinity, displayed a rather small range of activity and a strong attachment to their locality. On this ground, it can justly be assumed that the dominant members of the small mammal fauna around the camp had generally been infected, since we have found sick animals at a distance of 350—400 meters away from the camp. This again raises the question of why, in spite of this, the disease had been limited to but a single point of the camp? Another problem to be solved is whether the infectivity of the animals, in a radial direction from the camp, will remain the same or will gradually cease? Collectings made in relatively great distances will finally solve the question whether the small mammal fauna is infected everywhere or not. Similarly, it has to be examined what connections there be between the animal hosts of the vectors of the disease and their biotops. In other words whether the occurrence of a certain disease is linked up, in the case of the identical species, with certain biotops (woods, reeds, swamps, wet fields, etc.) or is independent of such. And, even though I take it up in this last chapter only, the possibly complete detection of the life habits of the animals listed will be of the utmost significance. We have to know, for instance, how the subterranean passages and nests of both Apodemus and Clethrionomys are built. The exposition of the nests are of special significance at the time of breeding, as also before and after this period. The developmental cycle of the several mites, as suspected vectors of the disease, will probably happen in the subterranean nests. Investigations at the time of breeding is the more important as this is the acme of the presence of parasites in the nests. Concomitantly with this, the idea suggests itself that the young mice should also pathologically and histologically be examined. For, if the suggestion comes true that the developmental cycle of the mites takes place in the subterranean passages of the voles, the conception is evident that the young animals will become infested with the viruses of the disease by the bites of the mites. The solutions of these problems are absolutely necessary for the thorough knowledge of the mechanism of the infection. We shall try to solve them during our collectings in the future. Bibliography : 1. O g n e v, S. I. : The mammals of the USSR and adjacent countries (Vol. VII. Moscow —Leningrad, 1950). — 2. Ellerman, J. R. & Morriso n — S c 011, T. C. S. : Checklist of palearctic and indian mammals (London, 1951). — 3. Trencséni, T. & Keleti, B. : Nephroso-nephritis haemorrhagica infectiosa. Távolkeleti járványos megbetegedés Magyarországon (Orvosi Hetilap, 94, 1953, p. 1163—1165). — 4. Trencséni,
