Serologic survey of West Nile virus in horses from Central-West, Northeast and Southeast Brazil

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2013 Nov;108(7):921-3. doi: 10.1590/S0074-02762013005000001.

Abstract

Since the emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in North America in 1999, there have been several reports of WNV activity in Central and South American countries. To detect WNV in Brazil, we performed a serological survey of horses from different regions of Brazil using recombinant peptides from domain III of WNV. Positive samples were validated with the neutralisation test. Our results showed that of 79 ELISA-positive horses, nine expressed WNV-specific neutralising antibodies. Eight of the infected horses were from the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and one was from the state of Paraíba. Our results provide additional evidence for the emergence of WNV in Brazil and for its circulation in multiple regions of the country.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Neutralization Tests
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • West Nile Fever / diagnosis
  • West Nile Fever / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever / veterinary*
  • West Nile virus / immunology*
  • West Nile virus / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral

Grants and funding

Financial support: FAPESP-2008/50167-6