Survey for vesicular stomatitis virus neutralizing antibodies in serums of white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus of the southeastern United States.

New Jersey type vesicular stomatitis (VS) antibodies were found in 14 of 677 deer serums tested by neutralization tests in embryonated chicken eggs. Twelve positive serums were received from Louisiana and two from Georgia. Eight of the positive deer serums from Louisiana were collected in the area of the only reported case of VS during 1967. Clinical VS has not been diagnosed in the east coast states since 1964. Two positive deer serums were collected on Ossabaw Island, Georgia, and three positive serums, one each from a hog, bull, and sheep, were collected from young animals on the island. These findings indicated subclinical infection or a nidus of New Jersey VS in Georgia. The low percentage of New Jersey type VS antibodies in deer and the distribution parallel the low incidence of VS since 1964. No antibodies were present for Indiana type VS virus.