Wild terrestrial rainforest mammals as potential reservoirs for flaviviruses (yellow fever, dengue 2 and St Louis encephalitis viruses) in French Guiana

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2004 Jul;98(7):409-12. doi: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2003.12.003.

Abstract

A serological survey for yellow fever virus (YFV), dengue 2 virus (DENV-2), and St Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) was undertaken using a seroneutralization technique in 27 wild forest mammal species (574 individuals) in French Guiana. Evidence of yellow fever infection was observed in 10 species, with high prevalence recorded in howler monkey (18%) and agouti (20%). Antibodies against DENV-2 and SLEV were found sporadically in various species. This potential host diversity and the range of potential vectors might explain the behaviour of the viruses in epidemic outbreaks and the emergence of periurban loci.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / virology*
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Dengue / epidemiology
  • Dengue / virology*
  • Dengue Virus / isolation & purification
  • Disease Reservoirs* / statistics & numerical data
  • Disease Reservoirs* / veterinary
  • Encephalitis Virus, St. Louis / isolation & purification
  • Encephalitis, St. Louis / epidemiology
  • Encephalitis, St. Louis / virology*
  • French Guiana / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Mammals / virology*
  • Prevalence
  • Trees
  • Yellow Fever / epidemiology
  • Yellow Fever / virology*
  • Yellow fever virus / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral