Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
West Nile virus infection rates in dogs and cats during human outbreak
By Kile, James C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2005·CDC, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Serologic survey of cats and dogs during an epidemic of West Nile virus infection in humans.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 26% of dogs and 9% of cats tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) during an outbreak affecting humans. Outdoor dogs were much more likely to have been exposed to the virus compared to those that stayed indoors. Additionally, dogs that were not on heartworm medication had a higher chance of testing positive for WNV. This suggests that pet owners should be aware of the risks associated with outdoor activities for their dogs, especially during outbreaks.
People also search for: West Nile virus in dogs · symptoms of West Nile virus in pets · dog heartworm medication importance
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To estimate West Nile virus (WNV) infection rates, assess environmental variables that correlated with seropositivity in dogs and cats, and assess whether pets should be considered as possible sentinels for WNV and therefore of potential human exposure. DESIGN: Cross-sectional serosurvey. ANIMALS: 442 dogs and 138 cats. PROCEDURE: Serum samples were screened for seropositivity against WNV by use of the plaque reduction neutralization test. RESULTS: 116 (26%) dogs and 13 (9%) cats yielded positive results. The odds of seropositivity against WNV for outdoor-only family dogs were almost 19 times as great as those for indoor-only family dogs and almost twice as great for stray dogs as for family dogs. Family dogs not receiving heartworm medication were 2.5 times as likely to yield positive results for antibodies against WNV as family dogs receiving heartworm medication. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Seropositivity was greater for outdoor family dogs than for indoor family dogs. Further investigation of the potential use of stray dogs as sentinel indicators for WNV infection and the potential risk of human exposure is warranted.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15844427/