Prevalence of antibodies against Saint Louis encephalitis and Jamestown Canyon viruses in California horses.
Jamestown Canyon (JC) and Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) viruses are mosquito-transmitted viruses that have long been present in California. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of these two viruses in horses prior to the introduction of West Nile (WN) virus. Approximately 15% of serum samples collected in 1998 from 425 horses on 44 equine operations horses throughout California had serum antibodies to JC virus, whereas antibodies were not detected to SLE virus. The results indicate that horses in California were commonly infected prior to 1998 with mosquito-transmitted Bunyaviruses that are identical or closely related to JC virus, but not with SLE virus. The different seroprevalence of SLE and JC viruses in horses likely reflects the unique ecology of each virus, and it is predicted that WN virus will have a wider distribution in California than closely related SLE virus.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, California and Nevada Area Office, 9850 Micron Avenue, Suite E, Sacramento, CA 95827, USA.
Dana M
DM
Nelson
Ian A
IA
Gardner
Robert F
RF
Chiles
Udeni B
UB
Balasuriya
Bruce F
BF
Eldridge
Thomas W
TW
Scott
William K
WK
Reisen
N James
NJ
Maclachlan
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002141:Encephalitis Virus, California / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004665:Encephalitis Virus, St. Louis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004674:Encephalitis, St. Louis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral