Susceptibility of Fox Squirrels (Sciurus niger) to West Nile Virus by Oral Exposure
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The Department of Entomology seeks to teach the study of insects, their life-cycles, and the practicalities in dealing with them, for use in the fields of business, industry, education, and public health. The study of entomology can be applied towards evolution and ecological sciences, and insects’ relationships with other organisms & humans, or towards an agricultural or horticultural focus, focusing more on pest-control and management.
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The Department of Entomology was founded in 1975 as a result of the division of the Department of Zoology and Entomology.
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- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (parent college)
- Department of Zoology and Entomology (predecessor, 1975)
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Abstract
Fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) (five of eight) were infected with West Nile virus (WNV) when challenged by the oral route with 102.3 or 103.4 plaque forming units (PFU). The mean maximum serum WNV titer of infected fox squirrels was 105.1 PFU/mL and ranged from 104.6 to 105.6 PFU/mL. These levels of viremia are infectious for several mosquito vectors of WNV. This virus was also isolated from swabs of the oral and rectal cavities, and urine swabs between day 5 and 9 postexposure (p.e.) in amounts as high as 102.0, 102.8, and 102 PFU, respectively. WNV RNA was detected in salivary gland and/or kidney tissue of three squirrels between day 65 and 72 p.e. in the presence of WNV neutralizing antibody, suggesting that long-term persistent infection occurs in fox squirrels. These observations justify further studies to determine if nonarthropod transmission and long-term persistent infection occur naturally in fox squirrels and contribute to trans-seasonal maintenance of WNV.
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This article is from Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 10 (2009): 207, 10.1089/vbz.2008.0158. Posted with permission.