TY - JOUR
T1 - Postepizootic persistence of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, Venezuela
AU - Navarro, Juan Carlos
AU - Medina, Gladys
AU - Vasquez, Clovis
AU - Coffey, Lark L.
AU - Wang, Eryu
AU - Suárez, Alexander
AU - Biord, Hernán
AU - Salas, Marlene
AU - Weaver, Scott C.
PY - 2005/12
Y1 - 2005/12
N2 - Five years after the apparent end of the major 1995 Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) epizootic/epidemic, focal outbreaks of equine encephalitis occurred in Carabobo and Barinas States of western Venezuela. Virus isolates from horses in each location were nearly identical in sequence to 1995 isolates, which suggests natural persistence of subtype IC VEE virus (VEEV) strains in a genetically stable mode. Serologic evidence indicated that additional outbreaks occurred in Barinas State in 2003. Field studies identified known Culex (Melanoconion) spp. vectors and reservoir hosts of enzootic VEEV but a dearth of typical epidemic vectors. Cattle serosurveys indicated the recent circulation of enzootic VEEV strains, and possibly of epizootic strains. Persistence of VEEV subtype IC strains and infection of horses at the end of the rainy season suggest the possibility of an alternative, cryptic transmission cycle involving survival through the dry season of infected vectors or persistently infected vertebrates.
AB - Five years after the apparent end of the major 1995 Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) epizootic/epidemic, focal outbreaks of equine encephalitis occurred in Carabobo and Barinas States of western Venezuela. Virus isolates from horses in each location were nearly identical in sequence to 1995 isolates, which suggests natural persistence of subtype IC VEE virus (VEEV) strains in a genetically stable mode. Serologic evidence indicated that additional outbreaks occurred in Barinas State in 2003. Field studies identified known Culex (Melanoconion) spp. vectors and reservoir hosts of enzootic VEEV but a dearth of typical epidemic vectors. Cattle serosurveys indicated the recent circulation of enzootic VEEV strains, and possibly of epizootic strains. Persistence of VEEV subtype IC strains and infection of horses at the end of the rainy season suggest the possibility of an alternative, cryptic transmission cycle involving survival through the dry season of infected vectors or persistently infected vertebrates.
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U2 - 10.3201/eid1112.050533
DO - 10.3201/eid1112.050533
M3 - Article
C2 - 16485478
AN - SCOPUS:33644824614
SN - 1080-6040
VL - 11
SP - 1907
EP - 1915
JO - Emerging infectious diseases
JF - Emerging infectious diseases
IS - 12
ER -