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Home / Equine Research Bank / Front Vet Sci / Serological and molecular surveillance of West Nile virus in...
Frontiers in veterinary science2023; 10; 1126199; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1126199

Serological and molecular surveillance of West Nile virus in domesticated mammals of peninsular Malaysia.

Abstract: West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne neurotropic pathogen with a wide host range that constitutes a significant risk to public and animal health. There is limited information on WNV infection in domesticated mammals in Malaysia; however, current reports indicate infections in birds, macaques, bats and pigs from Malaysia. In this study, 203 serum samples from cattle, goats, and horses were tested for the presence of anti-WNV IgG using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). Additionally, using one-step RT-PCR, nasopharyngeal swabs were analyzed for WNV RNA from all 203 animals in this study. The WNV seroprevalence was 32.53% (27/83) at 95% CI (0.2342-0.4319) in cattle, 48.27% (14/29) at 95% CI (0.3139-0.6557) in goats and 53.84% (49/91) at 95% CI (0.4366-0.6373) in horses. Cross-reactive JEV antibodies were detected in two cattle and 34 horses. None of the cattle or goats tested positive for WNV RT-PCR. Seven horses were positive for WNV RT-PCR, a molecular prevalence of 7.69% (7/91) at 95% CI (0.0353-0.1528). This is the first reported detection of WNV in domesticated mammals of Malaysia, a significant addition to the growing evidence that WNV is being transmitted from vectors to susceptible hosts in Malaysia.
Copyright © 2023 Mohammed, Yasmin, Ramanoon, Noraniza, Ooi, Ain-Najwa, Natasha, Nur-Fazila, Arshad and Mohammed.
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Publication Date: 2023-06-29 PubMed ID: 37456951PubMed Central: PMC10343450DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1126199Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article investigates the prevalence of the West Nile virus in domesticated animals – specifically cattle, goats, and horses – in Malaysia, providing the first notable evidence of the virus in this context.

Introduction

  • The West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus that affects a wide range of hosts, posing a substantial threat to both public and animal health.
  • Currently, there is limited information on WNV infections in domesticated animals in Malaysia, with existing studies primarily documenting infections in birds, macaques, bats, and pigs within the country.

Methodology

  • The researchers collected serum samples from 203 animals, which included cattle, goats, and horses.
  • These samples were then tested for the presence of antibodies against the WNV (anti-WNV IgG) using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA).
  • Furthermore, nasopharyngeal swabs were analyzed for WNV RNA from all 203 animals involved in the study using a one-step RT-PCR process.

Results

  • The results showed a seroprevalence of WNV of 32.53% in cattle, 48.27% in goats, and 53.84% in horses.
  • Also, evidence of cross-reactivity with Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV) was found in two cattle and 34 horses.
  • While none of the cattle or goats tested positive for WNV using the RT-PCR test, seven horses did, showing a molecular prevalence of 7.69%.

Conclusion

  • The study provides the first reported evidence of WNV in domesticated mammals in Malaysia.
  • This discovery significantly contributes to the growing body of evidence that indicates WNV being transmitted from vectors (such as mosquitoes) to susceptible hosts within Malaysia.

Cite This Article

APA
Mohammed MN, Yasmin AR, Ramanoon SZ, Noraniza MA, Ooi PT, Ain-Najwa MY, Natasha JA, Nur-Fazila SH, Arshad SS, Mohammed HO. (2023). Serological and molecular surveillance of West Nile virus in domesticated mammals of peninsular Malaysia. Front Vet Sci, 10, 1126199. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1126199

Publication

Frontiers in veterinary science
ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Pages: 1126199

Researcher Affiliations

Mohammed, Mohammed Nma
  • Department of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosis, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
  • Department of Animal Production, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria.
Yasmin, Abd Rahaman
  • Department of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosis, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
  • Laboratory of Vaccines and Biomolecules, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Ramanoon, Siti Zubaidah
  • Department of Farm and Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Noraniza, Mohd Adzahan
  • Department of Farm and Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Ooi, Peck Toung
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Ain-Najwa, Mohd Yuseri
  • Department of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosis, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Natasha, Jafar Ali
  • Department of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosis, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Nur-Fazila, Saulol Hamid
  • Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Arshad, Siti Suri
  • Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Mohammed, Hussni Omar
  • Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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