Virologic and serologic survey for eastern equine encephalomyelitis and certain other viruses in colonial bats of New England.
To test the hypothesis that hibernating colonial bats serve as an overwintering reservoir host of eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) and certain other arthropod-borne viruses in southern New England, 1128 bats of 4 species were collected from 1966 through 1976. Blood and tissue samples and ectoparasites from these bats were tested in suckling mice, wet chicks, and/or chick-embryo tissue cultures for virus. Rabies, the only virus isolated, was recovered from the brain, salivary glands, and brown fat of an apparently healthy adult male Myotis keenii found hibernating in western Massachusetts.
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001103:Arboviruses / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004663:Encephalitis Virus, Eastern Equine / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004668:Encephalitis Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009511:New England
D000914:Antibodies, Viral