Seroprevalence of St. Louis encephalitis virus and West Nile virus (Flavivirus, Flaviviridae) in horses, Uruguay.
St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) belong to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex (Flavivirus genus, Flaviviridae family). They show antigenic close relationships and share many similarities in their ecology. Both are responsible for serious human diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of neutralizing antibodies to these viruses in horses from Uruguay. To do this, 425 horse sera were collected in 2007 and analyzed by plaque reduction neutralization tests. As a result, 205 sera (48.2%) were found positive for SLEV, with titers ranging between 10 and 80. Two sera remained inconclusive, since they showed low titers to WNV and SLEV (10 and 20), not allowing us to demonstrate activity of WNV in our territory. This is the first report of circulation of SLEV in horses in Uruguay.
Sección Virología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay.
Analía
A
Burgueño
Laboratorio de Arbovirus, Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina.
Lorena
L
Spinsanti
Laboratorio de Arbovirus, Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina ; Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas CONICET-FCEFyN, UNC, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina.
Luis Adrián
LA
Díaz
Laboratorio de Arbovirus, Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina.
María Elisa
ME
Rivarola
Sección Virología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay.
Juan
J
Arbiza
Laboratorio de Arbovirus, Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina.
Marta
M
Contigiani
Sección Virología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay.
Adriana
A
Delfraro
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004665:Encephalitis Virus, St. Louis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006736:Horses / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D014583:Uruguay; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity
D000956:Antigens, Viral