The continuous spread of West Nile virus (WNV): seroprevalence in asymptomatic horses.
Abstract: West Nile virus (WNV) was probably introduced in southern and northern Mexico from the USA in two independent events. Since then, WNV activity has been reported in several Mexican states bordering the USA and the Gulf of Mexico, but disease manifestations seen there in humans and equids are quite different to those observed in the USA. We have analysed WNV seroprevalence in asymptomatic, unvaccinated equids from two Mexican states where no data had been previously recorded. WNV IgG antibodies were detected in 31.6% (91/288) of equine sera from Chiapas and Puebla states (53.3% and 8.0%, respectively). Analysis by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) showed good specificity (99.4%) and sensitivity (84.9%) with the ELISA results. Further analyses to detect antibodies against three different flaviviruses (WNV, St Louis encephalitis virus, Ilheus virus) by haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests on a subset of 138 samples showed that 53% of the 83 HI-positive samples showed specific reaction to WNV. These data suggest continuous expansion of WNV through Mexico.
Publication Date: 2009-03-17 PubMed ID: 19288961DOI: 10.1017/S0950268809002325Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- N.I.H.
- Extramural
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research article examines the continuous spread of the West Nile Virus (WNV) among horses in Mexican states where no data had been previously gathered. The research found that more than 30% of unvaccinated, asymptomatic horses tested were found to carry antibodies to the virus, suggesting it is spreading more rapidly than previously thought.
Research Objectives and Approach
- The main goal of the study was to assess the presence or absence of WNV in two Mexican states, Chiapas and Puebla, where no previous data on the virus had been reported.
- The researchers used a sample of asymptomatic, unvaccinated horses from these areas for their study.
- The researchers analyzed the WNV seroprevalence, or the level of a specific antibody in the blood, in these horses. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system in response to infections.
Research Findings
- The research identified WNV IgG antibodies in 31.6% of equine sera from the tested states. This suggests that these horses had been infected by the WNV at some point.
- The distribution was not even between the two states: 53.3% of samples from Chiapas and 8.0% of samples from Puebla were antibody-positive.
- Further test analysis showed high specificity (99.4%) and sensitivity (84.9%) with the ELISA results. This means the tests used in the study were reliable and precise.
Implications of the Research
- The high percentage of horses with WNV antibodies indicates high levels of exposure and continual spread of WNV throughout Mexico. This is especially significant because these horses were asymptomatic, meaning they showed no obvious signs of infection.
- Further tests ascertained that a majority of the antibodies present were specific to WNV, as opposed to other flaviviruses, lending greater weight to the argument of the continuous spread of WNV.
Conclusion
- This research suggests that WNV is spreading at a higher rate than previously thought in areas of Mexico bordering the USA and the Gulf of Mexico.
- The study also strengthens the reliability of conducting seroprevalence studies on unvaccinated, asymptomatic animals in detecting the prevalence and spread of viruses in understudied regions.
Cite This Article
APA
Alonso-Padilla J, Loza-Rubio E, Escribano-Romero E, Córdoba L, Cuevas S, Mejía F, Calderón R, Milián F, Travassos Da Rosa A, Weaver SC, Estrada-Franco JG, Saiz JC.
(2009).
The continuous spread of West Nile virus (WNV): seroprevalence in asymptomatic horses.
Epidemiol Infect, 137(8), 1163-1168.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268809002325 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Madrid, Spain.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Mexico / epidemiology
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- West Nile Fever / epidemiology
- West Nile Fever / immunology
- West Nile Fever / veterinary
Grant Funding
- N01-AI25489 / NIAID NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Weber MN, Mosena ACS, Baumbach LF, da Silva MS, Canova R, Dos Santos DRL, Budaszewski RDF, de Oliveira LV, Soane MM, Saraiva NB, Bellucco FT, Mazurek BA, Diehl GN, Gil LHVG, Borba MR, Corbellini LG, Canal CW. Serologic evidence of West Nile virus and Saint Louis encephalitis virus in horses from Southern Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2021 Jun;52(2):1021-1027.
- Câmara RJF, Bueno BL, Resende CF, Balasuriya UBR, Sakamoto SM, Reis JKPD. Viral Diseases that Affect Donkeys and Mules. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 25;10(12).
- Vázquez-Calvo Á, Blázquez AB, Escribano-Romero E, Merino-Ramos T, Saiz JC, Martín-Acebes MA, Jiménez de Oya N. Zika virus infection confers protection against West Nile virus challenge in mice. Emerg Microbes Infect 2017 Sep 20;6(9):e81.
- Roelandt S, Suin V, Van der Stede Y, Lamoral S, Marche S, Tignon M, Saiz JC, Escribano-Romero E, Casaer J, Brochier B, Van Gucht S, Roels S, Vervaeke M. First TBEV serological screening in Flemish wild boar. Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2016;6:31099.
- Martín-Acebes MA, Saiz JC. West Nile virus: A re-emerging pathogen revisited. World J Virol 2012 Apr 12;1(2):51-70.
- Mann BR, McMullen AR, Swetnam DM, Barrett AD. Molecular epidemiology and evolution of West Nile virus in North America. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013 Oct 16;10(10):5111-29.
- Albayrak H, Ozan E. Seroepidemiological study of west nile virus and rift valley Fever virus in some of Mammalian species (herbivores) in northern Turkey. J Arthropod Borne Dis 2013;7(1):90-3.
- Rodríguez-Pulido M, Martín-Acebes MA, Escribano-Romero E, Blázquez AB, Sobrino F, Borrego B, Sáiz M, Saiz JC. Protection against West Nile virus infection in mice after inoculation with type I interferon-inducing RNA transcripts. PLoS One 2012;7(11):e49494.
- Mann BR, McMullen AR, Guzman H, Tesh RB, Barrett AD. Dynamic transmission of West Nile virus across the United States-Mexican border. Virology 2013 Feb 5;436(1):75-80.
- Thompson NN, Auguste AJ, Coombs D, Blitvich BJ, Carrington CV, da Rosa AP, Wang E, Chadee DD, Drebot MA, Tesh RB, Weaver SC, Adesiyun AA. Serological evidence of flaviviruses and alphaviruses in livestock and wildlife in Trinidad. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2012 Nov;12(11):969-78.
- Ledermann JP, Lorono-Pino MA, Ellis C, Saxton-Shaw KD, Blitvich BJ, Beaty BJ, Bowen RA, Powers AM. Evaluation of widely used diagnostic tests to detect West Nile virus infections in horses previously infected with St. Louis encephalitis virus or dengue virus type 2. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2011 Apr;18(4):580-7.
- Zanella G, Beck C, Valle-Casuso JC, Anthony M, Cruz M, Vélez A, Vinueza RL, Gonzalez G. Undetection of vector-borne viruses in equids of Galapagos Islands. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1411624.
- Loza-Rubio E, Rojas-Anaya E, López-Ramírez Rdel C, Saiz JC, Escribano-Romero E. Prevalence of neutralizing antibodies against West Nile virus (WNV) in monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi and Alouatta pigra) and crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus and C. acutus-C. moreletti hybrids) in Mexico. Epidemiol Infect 2016 Aug;144(11):2371-3.
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