title: Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus activity in the Gulf Coast region of Mexico, 2003-2010.
abstract: Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) has been the causative agent for sporadic epidemics and equine epizootics throughout the Americas since the 1930s. In 1969, an outbreak of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) spread rapidly from Guatemala and through the Gulf Coast region of Mexico, reaching Texas in 1971. Since this outbreak, there have been very few studies to determine the northward extent of endemic VEEV in this region. This study reports the findings of serologic surveillance in the Gulf Coast region of Mexico from 2003-2010. Phylogenetic analysis was also performed on viral isolates from this region to determine whether there have been substantial genetic changes in VEEV since the 1960s. Based on the findings of this study, the Gulf Coast lineage of subtype IE VEEV continues to actively circulate in this region of Mexico and appears to be responsible for infection of humans and animals throughout this region, including the northern State of Tamaulipas, which borders Texas.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, Center for Tropical Diseases, and Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America. apadams@utmb.edu
authors.forename: A Paige
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Navarro-Lopez
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Aguilar
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lopez-Gonzalez
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Flores-Mayorga
authors.forename: Amelia P A
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Travassos da Rosa
authors.forename: Kali D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Saxton-Shaw
authors.forename: Amber J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Borland
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Tesh
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Jose G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Estrada-Franco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004666:Encephalitis Virus, Venezuelan Equine / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004685:Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral