Chronic West Nile virus infection in kea (Nestor notabilis)

Tamás Bakonyi, Gyula K. Gajdon, Raoul Schwing, Wolfgang Vogl, Annett Carolin Häbich, Denise Thaller, Herbert Weissenböck, Ivo Rudolf, Zdenek Hubálek, Norbert Nowotny*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Six kea (Nestor notabilis) in human care, naturally infected with West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 in Vienna, Austria, in 2008, developed mild to fatal neurological signs. WNV RNA persisted and the virus evolved in the birds' brains, as demonstrated by (phylo)genetic analyses of the complete viral genomes detected in kea euthanized between 2009 and 2014. WNV antibodies persisted in the birds, too. Chronic WNV infection in the brain might contribute to the circulation of the virus through oral transmission to predatory birds.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)135-139
Number of pages5
JournalVeterinary Microbiology
Volume183
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 1 2016

Keywords

  • Austria
  • Kea
  • Lineage 2
  • Nestor notabilis
  • Persistent infection
  • Psittaciformes
  • WNV
  • West Nile virus

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • General Veterinary

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