Viral-induced androgenic pheromone increase and increased attraction

[jvkohl]

For the techies:
This amazes even me. A virus appears to propagate by increasing androgenic (e.g., testosterone-linked) pheromone production, which makes the male more attractive to female mice.
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Psychoneuroendocrinology
Volume 27, Issue 5
July 2002
Pages 603-608
Behaviour, chemosignals and endocrine functions in male mice infected
with tick-borne encephalitis virus
Mikhail Moshkin, , a, Ludmila Gerlinskayaa, Olga Morozovab, Valentina Bakhvalovaa and Vadim Evsikova

Abstract

Odour attractiveness, social behaviour and endocrine status of male mice (outbred ICR strain) were examined 6¯7 days after
inoculation with subclinical dose of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBE). According to RT-PCR control of efficiency of infection,
males injected with TBE were divided on the two subgroups: TBE+ (males with viral RNA) and TBE- (males without viral
RNA). Susceptible males (TBE+ subgroup) showed the higher level of plasma testosterone in comparison with both control
and nonsusceptible (TBE- subgroup) males. TBE+ males had also more odour attraction for oestrus females and more
aggressiveness in social conflict. Higher sexual attractiveness and aggressiveness of the infected host benefit the pathogen\'s
distribution in the host population.

Author Keywords: Viral infection; Social behaviour; Odour attraction; Corticosterone; Testosterone

[oscar]

JVK,

With just what you posted above to go on, there are at least two questions that come to mind:
Has this virus evolved so dramatically that this is a direct, \"intentional\" (for lack of a better word) result of the viral infection?
or/
Is there just something in their mousey little brains that first tells them, \"You\'re gonna DIE buddy, so if you want your genes to be passed on, you better get out there and score some mouse-pelt!\", and then provides the testosterone and subsequent pheromone boost to facilitate this?
(And the enhanced communication of the infection that results from rampant mating is just a happy co-incidence for the virus\' proliferation.)

Or maybe a bit of both?

Have similar behavior or T-level increases been seen in mice infected with other viruses?

I\'d really like to see that entire paper.

Oscar images/icons/smile.gif

[jvkohl]

oscar,

The issue of intentionality is a big one; who\'s to know whether there is a direct effect (other papers indicate a direct effect of a virus on neurons, but I haven\'t read enough yet). If so, how did the virus evolve in parallel with mammalian evolution to achieve such a symbiotic relationship?

Typically, viral infections are linked to decreasing attractive odors (Dustin Penn\'s work in Salt Lake City, as I recall). I\'ll be looking into this further.