Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
West Nile Virus Found in Horses and Dogs on Corsica Island
By Maquart, Marianne et al.·Published in Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)·2017·1 French National Reference Centre for Arbovirus-Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: First Serological Evidence of West Nile Virus in Horses and Dogs from Corsica Island, France.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs from Corsica was tested for West Nile virus (WNV) after concerns about the virus spreading in the area. Out of 71 dogs, 6 were found to have antibodies against WNV, indicating they had been exposed to the virus. Fortunately, none of the dogs showed any symptoms of illness related to the virus. This finding suggests that while WNV is present in the environment, it may not currently be causing health problems in dogs. Increased monitoring for WNV in pets and people is recommended to ensure safety.
People also search for: West Nile virus in dogs · dog exposure to West Nile virus · symptoms of West Nile virus in pets
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is widely distributed over the world, including Europe, Africa, and Asia and spread over the past two decades to North and South America. In the south of France, sporadic cases are frequently described and the virus is endemic in Italy with frequent cases and outbreaks. The aim of this study was to identify a possible WNV circulation in Corsica (French island in the Mediterranean Sea) in sheep, horses, and dogs as sentinel animals for the virus surveillance. In 2014, 386 blood samples were collected from 219 sheep, 96 horses, and 71 dogs, in 12 localities in Corsica, in the oriental coast of Corsica. Each sample was systematically tested for WNV immunoglobulin G using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with inactivated WNV as antigen. The result of the ELISA for the WNV antibody test on the sheep sera was all negative, whereas 9 of 96 horses (9.4%) and 6 of 71 dogs (8.4%) presented WNV antibodies. All the positive samples from horses and dogs were confirmed by serum neutralization test. Although no clinical case in humans and horses was reported to date, this report highlights the necessity to improve WNV surveillance in animals and humans, as well as in blood donors in Corsica.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28075236/