title: Serologic evidence of West Nile virus exposure in North American mesopredators.
abstract: Sera from 936 mammalian mesopredators (Virginia opossums, gray foxes, striped skunks, hooded skunks, raccoons, a bobcat, and a red fox) were collected during 2003 and 2004 in California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Wyoming and screened for flavivirus-specific antibodies by an epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (blocking ELISA). Serum samples positive for antibodies against flaviviruses were screened for West Nile virus (WNV)-specific antibodies by blocking ELISA and selectively confirmed with plaque-reduction neutralization tests. High prevalence rates were observed in raccoons (45.6%) and striped skunks (62.9%). The high WNV antibody prevalence noted in mesopredators, their peridomestic tendencies, and their overall pervasiveness make these species potentially useful sentinels for monitoring flaviviruses in defined areas.
authors.affiliation: National Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA. kevin.t.bentler@aphis.usda.gov
authors.forename: Kevin T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Bentler
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: J Jeffrey
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Root
authors.forename: Kaci
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Klenk
authors.forename: Brandon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmit
authors.forename: Bradley F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Blackwell
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ramey
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D008322:Mammals / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral