[Antibodies against the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus in the population of the Páez District of the Zulia Venezuela State].

With the purpose of knowing the presence of antibodies against Venezuelan Equine Encephalities virus (EEV), after the continuous outbreaks produced by this virus we studied 192 sera (112 children and 80 adults), from the towns of Carretal, Cojoro and Paraguaipoa (Páez District), between the months of March and October 1986. The samples were analyzed using the hemagglutination inhibition test by the Clarke and Casals technique, using VEE virus antigen Guajira strain. We found that from 192 samples, 161 were negative 84%. This negativity was observed mainly on the infant population where it reached 97%. Negativity in adults was 65%. These results demonstrate that there has been no viral activity since the last outbreak in 1973, due probably to the epidemiological controls done on that zone and that the percentage of positivity of those older than 15 years has maintained the same level since the last survey on 1973.