Although small litter sizes and occasional difficulties in
breeding C. glareolus in captivity restricted the number of
animals available for assaying and ultimately the magnitude
of this study, our data adequately document that bank voles
inoculated with Puumala virus develop clinically inapparent,
chronic infections characterized by transient viremia, prolonged
shedding of virus in oropharyngeal secretions and
feces, virus persistence in tissues (particularly lung), and no
histopathological changes in infected tissues.