Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Vet Microbiol. 2013 Nov 29;167(1-2):168-80. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.08.013. Epub 2013 Aug 28.
West Nile virus (WNV) is a flavivirus transmitted between certain species of birds and mosquito vectors. Tangential infections of equids and subsequent equine epizootics have occurred historically. Although the attack rate has been estimated to be below 10%, mortality rates can approach 50% in horses that present clinical disease. Symptoms are most commonly presenting in the form of encephalitis with ataxia as well as limb weakness, recumbency and muscle fasciculation. The most effective strategy for prevention of equine disease is proper vaccination with one of the numerous commercially available vaccines available in North America or the European Union. Recently, WNV has been increasingly associated with equine epizootics resulting from novel non-lineage-1a viruses in expanding geographic areas. However, specific experimental data on the virulence of these novel virus strains is lacking and questions remain as to the etiology of the expanded epizootics: whether it be a function of inherent virulence or ecological and/or climactic factors that could precipitate the altered epidemiological patterns observed.
西尼罗河病毒（WNV）是一种黄病毒，在某些鸟类和蚊媒之间传播。历史上曾有过马属动物的切线感染和随后的马属动物流行。尽管据估计发病率低于 10%，但出现临床疾病的马的死亡率可接近 50%。症状最常见的形式是伴有共济失调的脑炎，以及四肢无力、卧地和肌肉抽搐。预防马属动物疾病的最有效策略是使用北美或欧盟市售的众多疫苗之一进行适当的疫苗接种。最近，WNV 与新型非 1a 谱系病毒在地理区域扩大导致的马属动物流行有关。然而，这些新型病毒株的毒力的具体实验数据尚缺乏，对于扩大流行的病因仍存在疑问：是固有毒力的作用，还是生态和/或气候因素导致了观察到的改变的流行病学模式。
