SEROLOGIC EVIDENCE OF WEST NILE VIRUS EXPOSURE IN NORTH AMERICAN MESOPREDATORS

KEVIN T. BENTLER National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Service, Sandusky, Ohio; School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Search for other papers by KEVIN T. BENTLER in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
JEFFREY S. HALL National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Service, Sandusky, Ohio; School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Search for other papers by JEFFREY S. HALL in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
J. JEFFREY ROOT National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Service, Sandusky, Ohio; School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Search for other papers by J. JEFFREY ROOT in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
KACI KLENK National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Service, Sandusky, Ohio; School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Search for other papers by KACI KLENK in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
BRANDON SCHMIT National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Service, Sandusky, Ohio; School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Search for other papers by BRANDON SCHMIT in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
BRADLEY F. BLACKWELL National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Service, Sandusky, Ohio; School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Search for other papers by BRADLEY F. BLACKWELL in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
PAUL C. RAMEY National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Service, Sandusky, Ohio; School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Search for other papers by PAUL C. RAMEY in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
LARRY CLARK National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado; National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Service, Sandusky, Ohio; School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Search for other papers by LARRY CLARK in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access

Sera from 936 mammalian mesopredators (Virginia opossums, gray foxes, striped skunks, hooded skunks, raccoons, a bobcat, and a red fox) were collected during 2003 and 2004 in California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Wyoming and screened for flavivirus-specific antibodies by an epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosobent assay (blocking ELISA). Serum samples positive for antibodies against flaviviruses were screened for West Nile virus (WNV)–specific antibodies by blocking ELISA and selectively confirmed with plaque-reduction neutralization tests. High prevalence rates were observed in raccoons (45.6%) and striped skunks (62.9%). The high WNV antibody prevalence noted in mesopredators, their peridomestic tendencies, and their overall pervasiveness make these species potentially useful sentinels for monitoring flaviviruses in defined areas.

Author Notes

Reprint requests: Larry Clark, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521.
  • 1

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1999. Outbreak of West Nile-like viral encephalitis – New York, 1999. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 48 :845–849.

  • 2

    Lanciotti RS, Roehrig JT, Deubel V, Smith J, Parker M, Steele K, Crise B, Bolpe KE, Crabtree MB, Scherret JH, Hall RA, MacKenzie JS, Cropp CB, Panigraphy B, Ostlund E, Schmitt B, Malkinson M, Banet C, Weissman J, Komar N, Savage HM, Stone W, McNamara T, Gubler DJ, 1999. Origin of the West Nile virus responsible for an outbreak of encephalitis in the northeastern United States. Science 286 :2333–2337.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 3

    Heinz FX, Collett MS, Purcell RH, Gould EA, Howard CR, Houghton M, Moormann RJM, Rice CM, Thiel JJ, 2000. Family Flaviviridae. Virus Taxonomy. Van Regenmortel CM, Fauquet CM, Bishop DHL, Carstens E, Estes MK, Lemon S, Manilogg J, Mayo MA, McGeoch DJ, Pringle CR, Wickner RB, eds. Seventh Report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. San Diego, CA: Academic Press. 859–878.

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 4

    Komar N, 2003. West Nile virus: epidemiology and ecology in North America. Adv Virus Res 61 :185–234.

  • 5

    McLean RG, Ubico SR, Bourne D, Komar N, 2002. West Nile virus in livestock and wildlife. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 267 :271–308.

  • 6

    Hayes CG, 1989. West Nile fever. Monath TP, ed. The Arboviruses: Epidemiology and Ecology. Volume V. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. 59–88.

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 7

    Tiawsirisup S, Platt KB, Tucker BJ, Rowley WA, 2005. Eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridannus) develop West Nile virus viremia sufficient for infecting select mosquito species. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 5 :342–350.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 8

    Root JJ, Oesterle PT, Nemeth NM, Klenk K, Gould DH, McLean RG, Clark L, Hall JS, 2006. Experimental infection of fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) with West Nile virus. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 75 :697–701.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 9

    Tesh RB, Siirin M, Guzman H, Travassos da Rosa APA, Wu X, Duan T, Lei H, Nunes MR, Xiao S-Y, 2005. Persistent West Nile virus infection in the golden hamster: studies on its mechanism and possible implications for other flavivirus infections. J Infect Dis 192 :287–295.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 10

    Trock SC, Meade BJ, Glaser AL, Ostlund EN, Lanciotti RS, Cropp BC, Kulasekera V, Kramer LD, Komar N, 2001. West Nile outbreak among horses in New York state, 1999 and 2000. Emerg Infect Dis 7 :745–747.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 11

    Ludwig GV, Calle PP, Mangiafico JA, Raphael BL, Danner DK, Hile JA, Clippinger TL, Smith JF, Cook RA, McNamara T, 2002. An outbreak of West Nile virus in a New York City captive wildlife population. Am J Trop Med Hyg 67 :67–75.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 12

    Kramer LD, Bernard KA, 2001. West Nile virus infection in birds and mammals. Ann N Y Acad Sci 951 :84–93.

  • 13

    Anderson JF, Vossbrinck CR, Andreadis TG, Iton A, Beckwith WH III, Mayo DR, 2001. Characterization of West Nile virus from five species of mosquitoes, nine species of birds, and one mammal. Ann N Y Acad Sci 951 :328–331.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 14

    Farajollahi A, Panella NA, Carr P, Crans W, Burguess K, Komar N, 2003. Serologic evidence of West Nile virus infection in black bears (Ursus americanus) from New Jersey. J Wildl Dis 39 :894–896.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 15

    Root JJ, Hall JS, McLean RG, Marlenee NL, Beaty BJ, Gansowski J, Clark L, 2005. Serologic evidence of exposure of wild mammals to flaviviruses in the central and eastern United States. Am J Trop Med Hyg 72 :22–30.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 16

    Santaella J, Mclean R, Hall JS, Gill JS, Bowen RA, Hadow HH, Clark L, 2005. West Nile virus serosurveillance in Iowa white-tailed deer (1999–2003). Am J Trop Med Hyg 73 :1038–1042.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 17

    U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2004. Cooperative Rabies Management Program National Report 2004. Washington, DC: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (unnumbered report): 3.

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 18

    Blitvich BJ, Bowen RA, Marlenee NL, Hall RA, Bunning ML, Beaty BJ, 2003. Epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for detection of West Nile virus antibodies in domestic mammals. J Clin Microbiol 41 :2676–2679.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 19

    Beaty BJ, Calisher CH, Shope RE, 1995. Arboviruses. Lennette EH, Lennette DA, Lennette ET, eds. Diagostic Procedures for Viral, Rickettsial, and Chlamydial Infections. Seventh edition. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 89–212.

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 20

    Monath TP, 2001. Prospects for development of a vaccine against the West Nile virus. Ann N Y Acad Sci 951 :1–12.

  • 21

    Komar N, Panella NA, Burns JE, Dusza SW, Mascarenhas TM, Talbot TO, 2001. Serologic evidence for West Nile virus infection in birds in the New York City vicinity during an outbreak in 1999. Emerg Infect Dis 7 :621–625.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 22

    Kuno G, Chang G-JJ, Tsuchiya KR, Karabatsos N, Cropp CB, 1998. Phylogeny of the genus Flavivirus. J Virol 72 :73–83.

  • 23

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003. West Nile virus activity—United States, August 21–27, 2003. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 52 :821–822.

  • 24

    United States Geological Survey, West Nile Virus Maps: Mosquito 2003. Cited December 14, 2005. Available from http://westnilemaps.usgs.gov/2003/ca_mosquito.html

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 25

    United States Geological Survey, West Nile Virus Maps: Birds 2003. Cited December 14, 2005. Available from http://westnilemaps.usgs.gov/2003/ca_bird.html

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 26

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003. West Nile virus activity—United States, August 7–13, 2003. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 52 :772.

  • 27

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2002. West Nile virus activity—United States, July 10–16, 2002. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 51 :621.

  • 28

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2001. West Nile virus activity—United States, November 7–13, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 50 :1013–1014.

  • 29

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2002. West Nile virus activity—United States, August 15–21, 2002. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 51 :742–743.

  • 30

    United States Geological Survey, West Nile Virus Maps: Human 2003. Cited December 15, 2005. Available from http://westnilemaps.usgs.gov/2003/oh_human.html

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 31

    United States Geological Survey, West Nile Virus Maps: Human 2004. Cited December 15, 2005. Available from http://westnilemaps.usgs.gov/2004/oh_human.html

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 32

    Verts BJ, 1967. The Biology of the Striped Skunk. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 33.

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 33

    McLean RG, Francy DB, Monath TP, Calisher CH, Trent DW, 1985. Isolation of St. Louis encephalitis virus from adult Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (Acari: Ixodidae). J Med Entomol 22 :232–233.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 34

    Schmidt JR, Said MI, 1964. Isolation of West Nile virus from the African bird argasid, Argas reflexus hermanni, in Egypt. J Med Entomol 1 :83–86.

  • 35

    Anderson JF, Main AJ, Andreadis TG, Wikel SK, Vossbrinck CR, 2003. Transstadial transfer of West Nile virus by three species of Ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae). J Med Entomol 40 :528–533.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 36

    Mumcuoglu KY, Banet-Noach C, Malkinson M, Shalom U, Galun R, 2005. Argasid ticks as possible vectors of West Nile virus in Israel. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 5 :65–71.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 37

    Hutcheson HJ, Gorham CH, Machain-Williams C, Loroño-Pino MA, James AM, Marlenee NL, Winn B, Beaty BJ, Blair CD, 2005. Experimental transmission of West Nile Virus (Flaviviridae: Flavivirus) by Carios carpensis ticks from North America. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 5 :293–295.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 38

    Garmendia AE, Van Kruiningen HH, French RA, Anderson JF, Andreadis RG, Kuman A, West B, 2000. Recovery and identification of West Nile virus from a hawk in winter. J Clin Microbiol 38 :3110–3111.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 39

    Austgen LE, Bowen RA, Bunning ML, Davis BS, Mitchell CJ, Chang G-JJ, 2004. Experimental infection of cats and dogs with West Nile virus. Emerg Infect Dis 10 :82–86.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 40

    Sbrana E, Tonry JH, Xiao S-Y, Da Rosa APAT, Higgs S, Tesh RB, 2005. Oral transmission of West Nile virus in a hamster model. Am J Trop Med Hyg 72 :325–329.

  • 41

    Verts BJ, 1967. The Biology of the Striped Skunk. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 68–74.

    • PubMed
    • Export Citation
  • 42

    Walker BL, Naugle DE, Doherty KE, Cornish TE, 2004. From the field: outbreak of West Nile virus in greater sage grouse and guidelines for monitoring, handling, and submitting dead birds. Wildl Soc Bull 32 :1–7.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 43

    Tonry JH, Xiao SY, Siirin M, Chen H, Travassos da Rosa APA, Tesh RB, 2005. Persistent shedding of West Nile virus in urine of experimentally infected hamsters. Am J Trop Med Hyg 72 :320–324.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • 44

    McLean RG, Ubico SR, Docherty DE, Hansen WR, Sileo L, McNamara TS, 2001. West Nile virus transmission and ecology in birds. Ann N Y Acad Sci 951 :54–57.

  • 45

    Klenk K, Snow J, Morgan K, Bowen R, Stephens M, Foster F, Gordy P, Beckett S, Komar N, Gubler D, Bunning M, 2004. Alligators as West Nile virus amplifiers. Emerg Infect Dis 10 :2150–2155.

    • PubMed
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
Past two years Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 493 427 144
Full Text Views 318 16 4
PDF Downloads 64 12 4
 

 

 

 
 
Affiliate Membership Banner
 
 
Research for Health Information Banner
 
 
CLOCKSS
 
 
 
Society Publishers Coalition Banner
Save