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Volume 9, Number 3—March 2003
Research

Experimental Infection of North American Birds with the New York 1999 Strain of West Nile Virus

Nicholas Komar*Comments to Author , Stanley Langevin*, Steven Hinten*, Nicole M. Nemeth*†, Eric Edwards*†, Danielle L. Hettler*†, Brent S. Davis*, Richard A. Bowen†, and Michel L. Bunning*‡
Author affiliations: *Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; †Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; ‡Office of the Surgeon General, United States Air Force, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., USA

Main Article

Table 4

Illness observed in eight species of birds exposed to West Nile virus (WNV) by mosquito bitea

Species No.
exposed No.
unexposedb No. fatal
infections
(% exposed) Days postinoculation that
death occurred Mean no.
days to death
(range)
Ring-billed gull
2
0
2 (100)
5, 13c
9.0 (5–13)
Blue Jay
4
0
3 (75)
4, 5, 5
4.7 (4–5)
Black-billed Magpie
3
0
3 (100)
6, 6, 6
6.0 (6–6)
American Crow
8
8
8 (100)
4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6
5.1 (4–6)
Fish Crow
9
0
5 (55)
6, 9, 10, 10,c 13
9.6 (6–13)
Common Grackle
6
6
2 (33)
4, 5
4.5 (4–5)
House Finch
2
3
2 (100)
6, 8
7.0 (6–8)
House Sparrow 6 5 3 (50) 3, 5, 6 4.7 (3–6)

aPreliminary mortality rates were highest in the Passerines, especially the corvids. No signs of clinical illness were observed among species of the following orders: Anseriformes, Ciconiiformes, Galliformes, Gruiformes, Columbiformes, Psittaciformes, Strigiformes, and Piciformes. No obvious differences in mortality rates were observed among birds exposed to WNV by means other than mosquito bite (orally exposed and contact-exposed groups; data not shown).
bUnexposed controls were blood sampled daily for the same period as the exposed birds, with no resulting illness.
cEuthanized.

Main Article

Page created: December 07, 2010
Page updated: December 07, 2010
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The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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