title: Experimental infection of North American birds with the New York 1999 strain of West Nile virus.
abstract: To evaluate transmission dynamics, we exposed 25 bird species to West Nile virus (WNV) by infectious mosquito bite. We monitored viremia titers, clinical outcome, WNV shedding (cloacal and oral), seroconversion, virus persistence in organs, and susceptibility to oral and contact transmission. Passeriform and charadriiform birds were more reservoir competent (a derivation of viremia data) than other species tested. The five most competent species were passerines: Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula), House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus), American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), and House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). Death occurred in eight species. Cloacal shedding of WNV was observed in 17 of 24 species, and oral shedding in 12 of 14 species. We observed contact transmission among four species and oral in five species. Persistent WNV infections were found in tissues of 16 surviving birds. Our observations shed light on transmission ecology of WNV and will benefit surveillance and control programs.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80522, USA. nck6@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Komar
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langevin
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hinten
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nemeth
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hettler
authors.forename: Brent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bunning
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D003465:Culex; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013045:Species Specificity; D019562:Viral Load; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000635:transmission*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*