Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Enfermera Gordillo S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, X5000HUA Córdoba, Argentina; Departamento de Ciencias Básicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Chilecito, La Rioja, Argentina.
Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Enfermera Gordillo S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, X5000HUA Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina.
Rev Argent Microbiol. 2021 Apr-Jun;53(2):154-161. doi: 10.1016/j.ram.2020.09.001. Epub 2020 Nov 8.
St. Louis encephalitis (SLEV) and West Nile (WNV) arboviruses, which circulate in Argentina, are maintained in enzootic transmission cycles involving Culex mosquitoes (vectors) and birds belonging to orders Passeriformes and Columbiformes (amplifier hosts). The objective of this work was to determine the circulation of both viruses among wild birds in a semiarid ecosystem in the Province of La Rioja through a serologic survey. During spring 2013 and fall 2014, a total of 326 wild birds belonging to 41 species were captured in areas close to the cities of La Rioja and Chilecito, in the Province of La Rioja. While exposure to SLEV and WNV was analyzed in birds' serum through neutralizing antibody detection, viral circulation was estimated through apparent seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies. The exposure of the avian community to viruses was 3.02% for SLEV and 1.89% for WNV, while 1.19% corresponded to coinfections. Our study confirms for the first time the circulation of SLEV and WNV in wild birds in the Province of La Rioja. Moreover, it is the first study to register neutralizing antibodies for flavivirus in the species Leptotila verreauxi (White-tipped Dove) (WNV) and Melanerpes cactorum (White-fronted Woodpecker) (SLEV). These results suggest that in semiarid ecosystems from northwestern Argentina the requirements and conditions for amplification and enzootic maintenance of SLEV and WNV would be present.
圣路易斯脑炎病毒（SLEV）和西尼罗河病毒（WNV）在阿根廷流行，其在以库蚊（传播媒介）和雀形目和鸠鸽目鸟类（扩增宿主）为代表的动物媒介与动物宿主之间形成地方性循环。本研究旨在通过血清学调查确定里奥哈省半干旱生态系统中野生鸟类携带这两种病毒的情况。2013 年春季和 2014 年秋季，在里奥哈省拉雷多市和智利莱蒂托市附近地区共捕获了 326 只属于 41 个物种的野生鸟类。通过中和抗体检测分析鸟类血清中 SLEV 和 WNV 的暴露情况，通过中和抗体的明显血清阳性率估计病毒循环。SLEV 和 WNV 对鸟类的暴露率分别为 3.02%和 1.89%，而 1.19%为混合感染。本研究首次证实了 SLEV 和 WNV 在里奥哈省野生鸟类中的流行。此外，这是首次在白顶鸽（WNV）和白额啄木鸟（SLEV）等物种中登记到针对黄病毒的中和抗体。这些结果表明，在阿根廷西北部的半干旱生态系统中，SLEV 和 WNV 的扩增和地方性维持的要求和条件将存在。
