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Home / Equine Research Bank / Infect Drug Resist / Serological Evidence of West Nile Virus Infection Among Huma...
Infection and drug resistance2021; 14; 5595-5601; doi: 10.2147/IDR.S348648

Serological Evidence of West Nile Virus Infection Among Humans, Horses, and Pigeons in Saudi Arabia.

Abstract: This study was designed to investigate the seroprevalence of WNV antibodies in humans, horses, and pigeons in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 323 humans, 147 horses, and 282 pigeons from two regions, Al-Ahsa and Al-Qatif, in East of Saudi Arabia. Serum samples were tested for anti-WNV antibodies by ELISA. Results: The percentage of anti-WNV antibodies in the human population was found to be 9.6% (3.1% in females and 6.5% in males). This percentage was much higher in horses, as 71.4% (105/147) of the horses had anti-WNV antibodies. However, no statistically significant difference in the anti-WNV antibody prevalence was found among horses from the two regions, Al-Ahsa (73.9%) and Al-Qatif (70.3%) (P value 0.665, 95% CI 0.37-1.82). No significant difference was found in the frequency of WNV antibodies among different age groups from humans or horses. Noticeably, 72.7% of the horses had detectable anti-WNV antibodies by the age of 1 year. In total, 53.19% (150/282) of the pigeons in the study had anti-WNV antibodies. Conclusions: Our study provided the first evidence for anti-WNV antibody detection in humans and pigeons. This study further ascertained the high seroprevalence of the virus in horses as reported previously by Hemida et al 2019. Overall data indicates that WNV is endemic in Saudi Arabia. These findings suggest that more attention should be given to the diagnosis and reporting of WNV infections in human and animals and monitoring of virus circulation in the environment.
© 2021 Alkharsah and Al-Afaleq.
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Publication Date: 2021-12-21 PubMed ID: 34992386PubMed Central: PMC8711105DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S348648Google 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 investigated the presence of West Nile Virus (WNV) antibodies in humans, horses, and pigeons in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The findings indicate a high prevalence of WNV antibodies in all three species, suggesting that WNV is endemic in this region.

Investigation Methodology

  • The research centered around the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, specifically in two regions – Al-Ahsa and Al-Qatif. Blood samples from a total of 323 humans, 147 horses, and 282 pigeons were collected and analyzed.
  • The researchers utilized ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay), a common test used to detect and measure antibodies in blood, to identify the presence of anti-WNV antibodies.

Exploration of Results and Findings

  • The researchers found that 9.6% of the human population in the study had WNV antibodies, with a lower percentage in females (3.1%) than males (6.5%).
  • A significantly higher percentage of horses – 71.4% – were found to carry anti-WNV antibodies. However, these numbers did not differ significantly between the two regions studied.
  • The frequency of WNV antibodies did not differ significantly among different age groups from either humans or horses. Notably, the study found that by one year of age, 72.7% of horses had detectable anti-WNV antibodies.
  • Also, pigeons exhibited a large percentage (53.19%) of anti-WNV antibodies.

Important Conclusions from the Study

  • The presence of WNV antibodies found in humans and pigeons suggested these species had been exposed to the virus. This study was the first of its kind to detect WNV antibodies in these two species in Saudi Arabia.
  • The high seroprevalence discovered in horses aligned with previous research conducted by Hemida et al 2019.
  • These results suggested that the WNV is endemic, or regularly found, in Saudi Arabia. Consequently, the researchers advised a higher focus on diagnosing and recording WNV infections in humans and animals, as well as keeping track of the virus’ presence in the environment.

Cite This Article

APA
Alkharsah KR, Al-Afaleq AI. (2021). Serological Evidence of West Nile Virus Infection Among Humans, Horses, and Pigeons in Saudi Arabia. Infect Drug Resist, 14, 5595-5601. https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S348648

Publication

Infection and drug resistance
ISSN: 1178-6973
NlmUniqueID: 101550216
Country: New Zealand
Language: English
Volume: 14
Pages: 5595-5601

Researcher Affiliations

Alkharsah, Khaled R
  • Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Al-Afaleq, Adel I
  • Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.

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Citations

This article has been cited 6 times.
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