West Nile virus survey of birds and mosquitoes in the Dominican Republic.
We report West Nile virus (WNV) activity from a new area on Hispaniola, in the vicinity of Monte Cristi National Park in northwest Dominican Republic. Specific anti-WNV antibodies were detected in 12 of 58 (21%) resident birds sampled in March 2003, representing six species in the orders Cuculiformes (cuckoos), Strigiformes (owls), and Passeriformes (song birds). This seroprevalence is the highest reported from any site in the Caribbean Basin. Virus was not detected in any mosquitoes or tissues from bird specimens. Testing of 20 sick or dead birds was negative for WNV. Undetermined flavivirus antibodies were detected in four resident birds at Monte Cristi, as well as in five resident birds at Sierra de Baoruco National Park in southwest Dominican Republic. These data suggest that an unidentified flavivirus, as well as WNV, is active in the Dominican Republic.
Komar
Oliver
O
University of Kansas Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, Lawrence, Kansas, USA. okomar@salvanatura.org
Robbins
Mark B
MB
Contreras
Gavino Guzmán
GG
Benz
Brett W
BW
Klenk
Kaci
K
Blitvich
Bradley J
BJ
Marlenee
Nicole L
NL
Burkhalter
Kristen L
KL
Beckett
Susan
S
Gonzálvez
Guillermo
G
Peña
Carlos J
CJ
Peterson
A Townsend
AT
Komar
Nicholas
N
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D001717:Birds; D009033:Culicidae / Q000821:virology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D004293:Dominican Republic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005416:Flavivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018177:Flavivirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D020308:Songbirds / Q000821:virology*; D020305:Strigiformes / Q000821:virology*; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral