title: Serologic evidence of West Nile virus infection in black bears (Ursus americanus) from New Jersey.
abstract: Serum samples obtained from 51 free-ranging black bears (Ursus americanus) in northwestern New Jersey in February and March 2002 were analyzed for neutralizing antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV) and St. Louis encephalitis virus. Three (6%) of the black bears tested positive for WNV-neutralizing antibodies. One additional sample was positive for flavivirus-neutralizing antibodies but could not be differentiated for a specific virus type. This is the first report of WNV infection in black bears.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-1190, USA. farajoll@rci.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Ary
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farajollahi
authors.forename: Nicholas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Panella
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Crans
authors.forename: Kelcey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burguess
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Komar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D001503:Ursidae / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral