Abstract
We evaluated West Nile (WN) virus seroprevalence in healthy horses, dogs, and cats in New York City after an outbreak of human WN virus encephalitis in 1999. Two (3%) of 73 horses, 10 (5%) of 189 dogs, and none of 12 cats tested positive for WN virus-neutralizing antibodies. Domestic mammals should be evaluated as sentinels for local WN virus activity and predictors of the infection in humans.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Animals, Domestic
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Antibodies, Viral / blood
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Cats
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Disease Outbreaks*
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Dog Diseases / epidemiology*
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Dog Diseases / immunology
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Dog Diseases / virology
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Dogs
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Horse Diseases / epidemiology*
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Horse Diseases / immunology
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Horse Diseases / virology
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Horses
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Humans
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Mammals
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Neutralization Tests
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New York City / epidemiology
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Seroepidemiologic Studies
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West Nile Fever / epidemiology
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West Nile Fever / immunology
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West Nile Fever / veterinary*
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West Nile Fever / virology
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West Nile virus / immunology
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West Nile virus / isolation & purification*