title: Prevalence of West Nile virus neutralizing antibodies in wild birds from the Camargue area, southern France.
abstract: The Camargue area of southern France experienced the re-emergence of West Nile Virus (WNV) in the late summer of 2000 and 2004. Immediately preceding the 2004 outbreak, samples were collected from 432 birds of 32 different species captured in mist nets and from 201 Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) nestlings sampled in their nests between 1 April and 12 June 2004. West Nile virus neutralizing titers of >/=40 were detected in 4.8% (95% confidence limit, 2.9-7.5%) of the adult birds and in 1.6% (0.3-4.6%) of the egret nestlings. Migratory passerines had a higher prevalence of WNV neutralizing antibodies (7.0%) than did resident and short-distance migratory passerines (0.8%), suggesting exposure to WNV or a related flavivirus during overwintering in Africa.
authors.affiliation: Section for Zoonotic Ecology and Epidemiology, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Kalmar University, SE-291 82 Kalmar, Sweden. Elsa.Jourdain@hik.se
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jourdain
authors.forename: Hervé G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Zeller
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sabatier
authors.forename: Séverine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murri
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kayser
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Greenland
authors.forename: Murielle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lafaye
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gauthier-Clerc
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001717:Birds; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral