title: B cell response and mechanisms of antibody protection to West Nile virus.
abstract: West Nile virus (WNV) has become the principal cause of viral encephalitis in North America since its introduction in New York in 1999. This emerging virus is transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected mosquito. While there have been several candidates in clinical trials, there are no approved vaccines or WNV-specific therapies for the treatment of WNV disease in humans. From studies with small animal models and convalescent human patients, a great deal has been learned concerning the immune response to infection with WNV. Here, we provide an overview of a subset of that information regarding the humoral and antibody response generated during WNV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. skaustin@DOM.wustl.edu.
authors.forename: S Kyle
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. dowdka@mail.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Dowd
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000276:immunology*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral