title: Survey of the antibody against japanese encephalitis virus in Ryukyu wild boars (Sus scrofa riukiuanus) in Okinawa, Japan.
abstract: Serum specimens were collected from 99 wild boars in the Northern area of the main Okinawa Island and from 27 wild boars on Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture from 1997 to 2005. Sera were tested for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) antibody by hemagglutination inhibition assay and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sixty-four samples (64.6%) in the Northern area and 1 sample (3.7%) from Iriomote Island were positive for the JEV antibody. The difference in seroprevalence between the Northern area and Iriomote Island was statistically significant (P < 0.01, chi2 test). This difference may be due to the lack of a pig farm on Iriomote Island, whereas wild boars in the Northern area may be infected with JEV, amplified on pig farms. It is likely that there has recently been an increase in the number of wild boars living close to humans in certain areas of Japan. This in turn increases the possibility that wild boars are infected with JEV, which is amplified on pig farms, and these infected animals may play a role in carrying JEV to other regions of the country.
authors: Department of Biological Science, Okinawa Prefectural Institute of Health and Environment, Okinawa 901-1202, Japan. nidairam@pref.okinawa.lg.jp
authors: Minoru
authors: M
authors: Nidaira
authors: Katsuya
authors: K
authors: Taira
authors: Kiyomasa
authors: K
authors: Itokazu
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Kudaka
authors: Masaji
authors: M
authors: Nakamura
authors: Atsusi
authors: A
authors: Ohno
authors: Tomohiko
authors: T
authors: Takasaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004664:Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / Q000276:immunology*; D004672:Encephalitis, Japanese / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests / Q000379:methods; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G