Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
West Nile and Usutu virus antibodies found in dogs and horses
By Laidoudi, Younes et al.·Published in Transboundary and emerging diseases·2023·Aix Marseille University, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evidence of Antibodies against the West Nile Virus and the Usutu Virus in Dogs and Horses from the Southeast of France.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 8.1% of dogs in southeastern France tested positive for antibodies against the West Nile Virus (WNV) and Usutu Virus (USUV), indicating they had been exposed to these viruses. The dogs were from areas with high mosquito populations, which are known to spread these diseases. Interestingly, a significant number of dogs also showed signs of exposure to an unidentified flavivirus, which could pose health risks. This suggests that outdoor dogs can help monitor the presence of these viruses in their environment.
People also search for: dog West Nile Virus symptoms · dog exposure to Usutu Virus · how to protect dogs from mosquito-borne diseases
Abstract
Every year, the world faces vector-borne diseases including arboviral (arthropod-borne viral) diseases caused by several, possibly fatal flaviviruses. The way they spread is related to a complex episystem involving several elements including vector abundance, animal carriers, and the flavivirus itself, which makes the disease difficult to manage. Here, we serologically screened 556 animals (358 dogs and 198 horses) using ELISA and a serum neutralisation test (SNT) for the anti-IgG antibodies directed against the West Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) viruses. The animals investigated were split into two groups according to their exposure to the risk linked to the abundance of mosquitoes and migratory birds as well as the geographical distribution of arbovirus cases (458 animals from areas exposed to risk and 98 not exposed to risk). Overall, 25/310 dogs (8.1%) and 2/148 horses (1.3%) tested positive for SNT WNV and/or USUV in geographically exposed areas. Animals in unexposed areas were all negative. The geographical distribution of WNV seroprevalence in dogs was the same as the distribution of reported autochthonous human cases. Interestingly, a non-negligible seroprevalence caused by an as yet unidentified flavivirus other than WNV, USUV, or tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was detected in 18.6% (28/150) and 3.7% (4/106) of the investigated dogs and horses from the Hérault department, in the southeast of France, respectively. These data highlight the role of outdoor dogs as suitable sentinels for the evidence of WNV and USUV circulation in each area. In addition, the serological detection of an as yet unidentified flavivirus circulating in the Hérault department deserves greater attention, as this may constitute a serious threat to public and animal health.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40303666/