title: [Screening of birds in the Volga delta (Astrakhan region, 2001) for the West Nile virus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction].
abstract: Infection of birds, residing in the Volga lower and middle delta, with West Nile Virus (WNV) genome was detected by the RT-PCR method. A total of 315 samples of bird organs, collected in the Astrakhan region in August 2001, were examined. Positive results, with various severity degrees, were found in coots (15.1%) and in cormorants (14.3%) in the lower delta. As for the middle delta, the infection rate among coots, herons, sea-gulls and terms was found to be identical and amounted to 8-13%, it was essentially higher in cormorants--42%. The infection rate of land-based birds did not exceed 5% in synanthropic biocenosis. According to a partial sequencing of the 5'-end region of WNV genome, all positive tests can be described as belonging to the 1st WNV genotype. The obtained results are indicative of a high activity of circulation of WNV among the birds of the water and near-water complexes in the mentioned region.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Al'khovskiĭ
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: L'vov
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Samokhvalov
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Prilipov
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: L'vov
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Aristova
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Gromashevskiĭ
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Dzharkenov
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Kovtunov
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Deriabin
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Odolevskiĭ
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ibragimov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012426:Russia; D014781:Viscera / Q000821:virology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral