Ninety percent (56/62) of sentinel chickens introduced to two regions within the Italian Alps seroconverted to West Nile virus (WNV) during the summer of 2005, showing a range of antibody titres from 1/20 to 1/320 in a virus neutralization test. Neutralization specificity for WNV antibodies was confirmed on an additional 34 sera that were tested in parallel against WNV (16/34 seropositivity), Usutu virus (3/34 seropositivity) and Koutango virus. The geometric mean neutralizing titre (GMT) calculated for WN-specific antibodies was 33.68 and did not differ significantly amongst sample sites, although the overall results indicate more active circulation of WNV at the higher elevations. Such high levels of seroconversion raise the possibility that many chickens may have been exposed to virus via routes other than mosquito transmission. No chickens or any other local animals were associated with illness due to WNV implying that WNV, and to a much lower extent Usutu virus, circulate harmlessly amongst wildlife species in northern Italy from late May onwards until early autumn.

Rizzoli, A.; Rosa', R.; Rosso, F.; Buckley, A.; Gould, E. (2007). West Nile virus circulation detected in Northern Italy in sentinel chickens. VECTOR BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES, 7 (3): 411-417. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2006.0626 handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10449/20740

West Nile virus circulation detected in Northern Italy in sentinel chickens

Rizzoli, Annapaola;Rosa', Roberto;Rosso, Fausta;
2007-01-01

Abstract

Ninety percent (56/62) of sentinel chickens introduced to two regions within the Italian Alps seroconverted to West Nile virus (WNV) during the summer of 2005, showing a range of antibody titres from 1/20 to 1/320 in a virus neutralization test. Neutralization specificity for WNV antibodies was confirmed on an additional 34 sera that were tested in parallel against WNV (16/34 seropositivity), Usutu virus (3/34 seropositivity) and Koutango virus. The geometric mean neutralizing titre (GMT) calculated for WN-specific antibodies was 33.68 and did not differ significantly amongst sample sites, although the overall results indicate more active circulation of WNV at the higher elevations. Such high levels of seroconversion raise the possibility that many chickens may have been exposed to virus via routes other than mosquito transmission. No chickens or any other local animals were associated with illness due to WNV implying that WNV, and to a much lower extent Usutu virus, circulate harmlessly amongst wildlife species in northern Italy from late May onwards until early autumn.
West Nile
Epidemiology
Transmission
Field studies
2007
Rizzoli, A.; Rosa', R.; Rosso, F.; Buckley, A.; Gould, E. (2007). West Nile virus circulation detected in Northern Italy in sentinel chickens. VECTOR BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES, 7 (3): 411-417. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2006.0626 handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10449/20740
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2007_rizzoli_et_al(rosà_rosso) -- wnv_northern italy_sentinel chickens_VBZD.pdf

non disponibili

Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 96.71 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
96.71 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10449/20740
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 49
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 51
social impact