[Small wild mammals and arboviruses in Italy].

In 1980 and 1981, sera of 256 small wild mammals (rodentia, insectivora, carnivora) were collected in Piemonte and Southern Italy. They were then tested for antibody against 12 arboviruses by haemagglutination inhibition and complement fixation tests. In the North of the country, 42.8% of sera were found positive against Tahyna or Sicilian Sandfly fever viruses. In the Southern provinces, 44.3% of sera reacted with Bhanja, West Nile or other flaviviruses, Tahyna, Sicilian Sandfly fever and Arumowot viruses. These results lead to suspect the possible role of some small mammals (muridae, Clethrionomys glareolus, Talpa caeca, Talpa romana) in circulating these arboviruses in Italy.