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Of the 5,236 birds sampled for antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV) in Illinois from 2001 through 2004, 348 (6.6%) birds were seropositive. Our multiple year surveillance identified several avian species that had particularly high percentages of seropositive individuals. The importance of these species in the enzootic and/or epizootic transmission of WNV is discussed relative to their regional abundance and literature on host competency. The species with the highest exposure rates to WNV differed both temporally and regionally. In general, birds that bred or were born in Illinois were more likely to have antibodies than transient birds. There was also a significant difference in the seroprevalence between adults (12.1%) and juveniles (5.5%), indicating that the acquired antibody response from previous years is a critical concern when interpreting seroprevalence rates in wild-caught birds. The most common hosts for St. Louis encephalitis virus were also the most common hosts for WNV, which strongly supports the role of similar vectors for both flaviviruses. Avian species with high WNV seroprevalence rates tended to be those that bred throughout the year, have open cup nests, and live in close proximity to humans.
Received March 22, 2005. Accepted for publication July 14, 2005.
Acknowledgments: We thank the Forest Preserve Districts of Illinois, the Illinois State Parks, Southern Illinois University, and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana for use of research sites; the field crew (Brad Danner, Evette Vlach, Stephanie Eicholz, Bill Anderson, Brett Amdor, Joe Heisinger, Jennifer Wise, Arlo Raim, Sarah Yaremych, Christine LaPointe, Bill Stewart, Derrick Robertson, and Amanda Kamradt) for their help with this study; and Weidong Gu and David Enstrom for reviewing the manuscript. This study was conducted under animal use (collecting) permit no. 04010.
Financial support: This study was supported by grants to Robert J. Novak from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Waste Tire Act, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PHS U50/CCU 52051), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Educational, and Extension Service (PHS U50 CCU52051: West Nile Virus, Illinois).
* Address correspondence to Robert J. Novak, Medical Entomology Laboratory, Illinois Natural History Survey, 1910 Griffith Drive, North 104 Annex, Champaign, IL 61820. E-mail: rjnovak{at}uiuc.edu
Authors’ addresses: Tara A. Beveroth, Michael P. Ward, Richard L. Lampman, and Robert J. Novak, Medical Entomology Laboratory, Illinois Natural History Survey, 1910 Griffith Drive, North 104 Annex, Champaign, IL 61820, Telephone: 217-333-1186, Fax: 217-333-2359, E-mails: beveroth{at}uiuc.edu, mpward{at}uiuc.edu, rlampman{at}uiuc.edu, and rjnovak{at}uiuc.edu. Adam M. Ringia, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1590 Williamsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10461, Telephone: 718-415-3451, E-mail: ringia{at}yahoo.com.
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  M. P. WARD, A. RAIM, S. YAREMYCH-HAMER, R. LAMPMAN, and R. J. NOVAK Does the roosting behavior of birds affect transmission dynamics of west nile virus? Am J Trop Med Hyg, August 1, 2006; 75(2): 350 - 355. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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