Experimental infection of horses with West Nile virus

Emerg Infect Dis. 2002 Apr;8(4):380-6. doi: 10.3201/eid0804.010239.

Abstract

A total of 12 horses of different breeds and ages were infected with West Nile virus (WNV) via the bites of infected Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Half the horses were infected with a viral isolate from the brain of a horse (BC787), and half were infected with an isolate from crow brain (NY99-6625); both were NY99 isolates. Postinfection, uninfected female Ae. albopictus fed on eight of the infected horses. In the first trial, Nt antibody titers reached >1:320, 1:20, 1:160, and 1:80 for horses 1 to 4, respectively. In the second trial, the seven horses with subclinical infections developed Nt antibody titers >1:10 between days 7 and 11 post infection. The highest viremia level in horses fed upon by the recipient mosquitoes was approximately 460 Vero cell PFU/mL. All mosquitoes that fed upon viremic horses were negative for the virus. Horses infected with the NY99 strain of WNV develop low viremia levels of short duration; therefore, infected horses are unlikely to serve as important amplifying hosts for WNV in nature.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / physiology
  • Aedes / virology
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Bird Diseases / virology
  • Brain / virology
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / blood
  • Horse Diseases / immunology
  • Horse Diseases / transmission
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses / blood
  • Horses / immunology
  • Horses / virology*
  • Insect Vectors / physiology
  • Insect Vectors / virology
  • Male
  • Saliva / immunology
  • Saliva / virology
  • Songbirds / virology
  • Vero Cells
  • Viremia / blood
  • Viremia / immunology
  • Viremia / transmission
  • Viremia / virology
  • West Nile Fever / blood
  • West Nile Fever / immunology
  • West Nile Fever / transmission*
  • West Nile Fever / virology
  • West Nile virus / immunology
  • West Nile virus / physiology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral