title: Serologic survey of cats and dogs during an epidemic of West Nile virus infection in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate West Nile virus (WNV) infection rates, assess environmental variables that correlated with seropositivity in dogs and cats, and assess whether pets should be considered as possible sentinels for WNV and therefore of potential human exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional serosurvey.
  
  
  METHODS
  442 dogs and 138 cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were screened for seropositivity against WNV by use of the plaque reduction neutralization test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  116 (26%) dogs and 13 (9%) cats yielded positive results. The odds of seropositivity against WNV for outdoor-only family dogs were almost 19 times as great as those for indoor-only family dogs and almost twice as great for stray dogs as for family dogs. Family dogs not receiving heartworm medication were 2.5 times as likely to yield positive results for antibodies against WNV as family dogs receiving heartworm medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seropositivity was greater for outdoor family dogs than for indoor family dogs. Further investigation of the potential use of stray dogs as sentinel indicators for WNV infection and the potential risk of human exposure is warranted.
authors.affiliation: CDC, Epidemic Intelligence Service, 1600 Clifton Rd SE, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kile
authors.forename: Nicholas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Panella
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Komar
authors.forename: Catherine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: MacNeil
authors.forename: Brent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.forename: Michel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bunning
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002415:Cats; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral