Cotton rats and house sparrows as hosts for North and South American strains of eastern equine encephalitis virus.
Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV; family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus) is an arbovirus that causes severe disease in humans in North America and in equids throughout the Americas. The enzootic transmission cycle of EEEV in North America involves passerine birds and the ornithophilic mosquito vector, Culiseta melanura, in freshwater swamp habitats. However, the ecology of EEEV in South America is not well understood. Culex (Melanoconion) spp. mosquitoes are considered the principal vectors in Central and South America; however, a primary vertebrate host for EEEV in South America has not yet been identified. Therefore, to further assess the reservoir host potential of wild rodents and wild birds, we compared the infection dynamics of North American and South American EEEV in cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Our findings suggested that each species has the potential to serve as amplification hosts for North and South America EEEVs.
Arrigo
Nicole C
NC
Institute for Human Infections and Immunity and Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA. sweaver@utmb.edu
Adams
A Paige
AP
Watts
Douglas M
DM
Newman
Patrick C
PC
Weaver
Scott C
SC
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004663:Encephalitis Virus, Eastern Equine / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020242:Encephalomyelitis, Eastern Equine / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D006736:Horses; D009656:North America; D016205:Sigmodontinae / Q000821:virology*; D013020:South America; D046370:Sparrows / Q000821:virology*; D013045:Species Specificity
D000914:Antibodies, Viral