WEST NILE VIRUS: AN INVASIVE PATHOGEN TO THE AMERICAS Christopher J. Brand, USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin
Worldwide Distribution
Transmission Cycle
Thousands of crows died from deadly virus and 17 other native bird species affected also West Nile Virus Epizootic in Wild Birds 1999
Source of West Nile Virus in North America Infected mosquito?Infected mosquito? Infected bird?Infected bird? Infected human or horse?Infected human or horse? Another vertebrate host?Another vertebrate host? Bio-terrorism?Bio-terrorism? Likely to remain unknownLikely to remain unknown Infected mosquito?Infected mosquito? Infected bird?Infected bird? Infected human or horse?Infected human or horse? Another vertebrate host?Another vertebrate host? Bio-terrorism?Bio-terrorism? Likely to remain unknownLikely to remain unknown
Spread of WNV:
West Nile Virus in Birds, 2002
>162 Susceptible Bird Species Passeriformes (45%)Passeriformes (45%) Falconiformes (12%)Falconiformes (12%) Anseriformes (6%)Anseriformes (6%) Ciconiiformes (5%)Ciconiiformes (5%) Columbiformes (5%)Columbiformes (5%) Passeriformes (45%)Passeriformes (45%) Falconiformes (12%)Falconiformes (12%) Anseriformes (6%)Anseriformes (6%) Ciconiiformes (5%)Ciconiiformes (5%) Columbiformes (5%)Columbiformes (5%)
> 37 Mosquito Species Infected AedesAedes –albopictus CulexCulex –salinarius, tarsalis OchlerotatusOchlerotatus –atropalpus, j. japonicus AedesAedes –albopictus CulexCulex –salinarius, tarsalis OchlerotatusOchlerotatus –atropalpus, j. japonicus
West Nile Virus in Horses, 2002 >12,038 Cases > 733 Deaths
West Nile Virus in Humans, 2002 >4,156 Cases 284 Deaths
? Potential Dissemination of WNV by Migratory Birds
Migratory Bird Sampling Great Meadows NWR, MA Wertheim NWR, NY Cape May NWR, NJ Chincoteague NWR, VA Croatan Natl Forest, NC Savannah NWR, SC St. Marks NWR, FL Key West, FL Jamaica Bay WR, NY Merritt Island NWR, FL JN Ding Darling NWR, FL Mark Twain NWR, IL Shelby County, TN Southeast Louisiana NWR, LA Goose Island SP, WI Mercedes, TX Lower Rio Grand Valley NWR, TX Laguna Atascosa NWR, TX
Research Results: WNV Transmission by Contact
Research Results: WNV Transmission by Ingestion
Research Results: WNV Vaccine Efficacy
NBII Wildlife Disease Information Node Wildlife Diseases Human Health Disease Surveillance And Mapping Organizations And Links WildPro
West Nile Virus: A Threat to Biodiversity???