Rodents are also implicated in Pox virus infection, especially CowPox which is a serious issue in felids and primates, but has also affected many other spp including anteaters.
Indeed; I can think of more than a few collections which have had problems in the past as a result of bank voles and water voles living in their grounds transmitting cowpox to their stock.
@TeaLovingDave Yes, voles are considered probably the prime vector for CowPox, but all rodents are potentially an issue. Bank and field voles are very common grassland animals, and can hardly be eliminated from open grassy enclosures. Where these spp and the disease is found widely, as in this part of Europe, it is a risk we all have to take if animals are to be kept in naturalistic enclosures. Water voles are much rarer, and restricted in habitat so less of an issue.
