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Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene2013; 107(11); 723-730; doi: 10.1093/trstmh/trt081

West Nile virus surveillance, Brazil, 2008-2010.

Abstract: West Nile virus (WNV) is an emergent pathogen that is widely distributed in North and Central America. The recent introduction in South America has focused attention on the spread of WNV across Southern American countries. The transmission network involves mosquitoes, birds, horses and humans. Methods: The serological evaluation of sera from 678 equids and 478 birds was performed using a WNV-specific blocking ELISA, and only the positive results were confirmed by plaque reduction neutralisation tests (PRNTs). Molecular analysis was performed on sera from 992 healthy equids and on 63 macerates of brains from equids that died of encephalitis and had previously tested negative for other pathogens. We also tested swabs from 928 birds. The samples analysed were collected in different biomes of Brazil. Results: We identified WNV antibodies by ELISA in thirteen equids and five birds, and PRNT90 confirmed WNV positivity in four equid samples collected in 2009 in an area between the Amazon and the Pantanal. None of the ELISA positive bird samples were confirmed by PRNT90, and all samples tested by RT-PCR were negative. Conclusions: WNV circulation is confirmed by this large scale survey even in the absence of detection of clinical cases.
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Publication Date: 2013-09-04 PubMed ID: 24008895DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trt081Google 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.

The research article investigates the presence and spread of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Brazil between 2008-2010. Initial findings confirm the circulation of WNV in Brazil, however, no actual clinical cases were detected.

Research Methodology

The researchers focused on finding traces of West Nile Virus (WNV) in the ecosystem. This entailed:

  • Conducting serological evaluation of sera from 678 equids (horses) and 478 birds with a WNV-specific blocking ELISA test, and then confirming the positive results with plaque reduction neutralisation tests (PRNTs).
  • Performing molecular analysis on sera from 992 healthy equids and on 63 brain macerates of equids that died of encephalitis but had tested negative for other pathogens.
  • Testing swabs from 928 birds.
  • Analyzing samples collected from different biomes across Brazil.

Findings

The key outcomes of the research demonstrate WNV spread, but there is a lack of confirmation for clinical WNV cases:

  • They found WNV antibodies using ELISA test in 13 equid and 5 bird samples.
  • After performing the PRNT90 tests for confirmation, only four equid samples collected in 2009 in an area between the Amazon and the Pantanal were positive.
  • No bird samples which were tested positive by ELISA were confirmed as positive by PRNT90.
  • All samples tested for actual virus presence using RT-PCR were negative.

Conclusion

The study, thus, establishes the circulation of WNV in Brazil, but without actual detection of clinical cases. This means that although the virus is present in the country, it is not causing illnesses. Such findings have significant implications for public health policies to control the potential outbreak of West Nile Virus.

Cite This Article

APA
Ometto T, Durigon EL, de Araujo J, Aprelon R, de Aguiar DM, Cavalcante GT, Melo RM, Levi JE, de Azevedo Júnior SM, Petry MV, Neto IS, Serafini P, Villalobos E, Cunha EM, Lara Mdo C, Nava AF, Nardi MS, Hurtado R, Rodrigues R, Sherer AL, Sherer Jde F, Geraldi MP, de Seixas MM, Peterka C, Bandeira Dde S, Pradel J, Vachiery N, Labruna MB, de Camargo LM, Lanciotti R, Lefrançois T. (2013). West Nile virus surveillance, Brazil, 2008-2010. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 107(11), 723-730. https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trt081

Publication

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
ISSN: 1878-3503
NlmUniqueID: 7506129
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 107
Issue: 11
Pages: 723-730

Researcher Affiliations

Ometto, Tatiana
  • BSL3 Laboratório de Virologia Clínica e Molecular Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), 05508-900 São Paulo, Brasil.
Durigon, Edison Luiz
    de Araujo, Jansen
      Aprelon, Rosalie
        de Aguiar, Daniel Moura
          Cavalcante, Guacyara Tenorio
            Melo, Rosane Marini
              Levi, José Eduardo
                de Azevedo Júnior, Severino Mendes
                  Petry, Maria Virgínia
                    Neto, Isaac Simão
                      Serafini, Patrícia
                        Villalobos, Eliana
                          Cunha, Elenice Maria Sequetin
                            Lara, Maria do Carmo Custódio S H
                              Nava, Alessandra Ferreira Dales
                                Nardi, Marcello Schiavo
                                  Hurtado, Renata
                                    Rodrigues, Roberta
                                      Sherer, Angelo Luís
                                        Sherer, Janete de Fátima Martins
                                          Geraldi, Marcelo Plaisant
                                            de Seixas, Marina Maria Moraes
                                              Peterka, Cassio
                                                Bandeira, Debora de Souza
                                                  Pradel, Jennifer
                                                    Vachiery, Nathalie
                                                      Labruna, Marcelo Bahia
                                                        de Camargo, Luiz Marcelo Aranha
                                                          Lanciotti, Robert
                                                            Lefrançois, Thierry

                                                              MeSH Terms

                                                              • Animals
                                                              • Animals, Wild / immunology
                                                              • Antibodies, Viral / blood
                                                              • Birds / immunology
                                                              • Brazil / epidemiology
                                                              • Culicidae / immunology
                                                              • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods
                                                              • Horses / immunology
                                                              • Humans
                                                              • Seroepidemiologic Studies
                                                              • West Nile Fever / diagnosis
                                                              • West Nile Fever / epidemiology
                                                              • West Nile virus / immunology

                                                              Citations

                                                              This article has been cited 30 times.
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