Apparent disappearance of Vesicular Stomatitis New Jersey Virus from Ossabaw Island, Georgia

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2011 May;11(5):559-65. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2010.0083. Epub 2010 Oct 18.

Abstract

Ossabaw Island, Georgia, is the only reported endemic focus of Vesicular Stomatitis New Jersey Virus (VSNJV) in the United States. Based on recent negative serologic results of white-tailed deer and feral swine and the failure to isolate VSNJV from Lutzomyia shannoni, it appears that VSNJV is no longer present at this site. This apparent disappearance does not appear to be related to a change in L. shannoni habitat, specifically to the density of tree holes in the maritime and mixed hardwood forests. We believe that the disappearance of VSNJV from Ossabaw Island is directly related to a reduction in the feral swine population and a subsequent increase in the utilization of white-tailed deer by the known vector, L. shannoni.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / virology
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • DNA Primers
  • Databases, Nucleic Acid
  • Deer / virology*
  • Ecosystem
  • Female
  • Georgia
  • Insect Vectors / virology*
  • Population Dynamics
  • Psychodidae / virology*
  • Swine / virology*
  • Trees
  • Vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus / genetics
  • Vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus / immunology*
  • Vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • DNA Primers