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Persistent West Nile virus infection in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus)

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Abstract

Long-term persistence of West Nile virus (WNV) infection within vertebrate reservoir hosts is a potential mechanism for overwintering of this (and other) arbovirus(es) at temperate latitudes. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus), an established amplifying host for WNV and other arboviruses, was used as a model to confirm chronicity of WNV infection in passerine birds and to evaluate the feasibility of two overwintering mechanisms: blood-borne infection of arthropod vectors (recrudescence) and oral infection of vertebrate reservoir hosts (ingestion of infected tissues through predation). WNV-inoculated sparrows were monitored for persistent infection for up to 2 years. Infectious virus persisted in tissues through 43 days, but not in sera beyond 6 days. Viral RNA persisted in tissues through 65 days. Chronicity of WNV infection in some tissues, but not blood, supports the predation mechanism of WNV overwintering, but not recrudescence. RNA persistence impacts interpretation and etiologic determination of avian mortality.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to P. Gordy, A. Bosco-Lauth, K. Jones, P. Oesterle, N. Roberts and others for logistical support. K. Burkhalter provided advice on RT-PCR and R. McLean provided editorial comments. This research was funded by National Institutes of Health contract N01-AI25489, Emerging Infectious Viral Disease Unit.

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Author notes

  1. Nicole Nemeth

    Present address: National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    Nicole Nemeth, Christina Ndaluka & Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann

  2. Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA

    Ginger Young & Nicholas Komar

  3. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    Richard Bowen

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  1. Nicole Nemeth
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Correspondence to Nicole Nemeth.

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Nemeth, N., Young, G., Ndaluka, C. et al. Persistent West Nile virus infection in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Arch Virol 154, 783–789 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-009-0369-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-009-0369-x

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