Publication details
Chronic West Nile virus infection in kea (Nestor nobilis)
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Veterinary Microbiology |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2015.12.012 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2015.12.012 |
| Field | Microbiology, virology |
| Description | 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. Persisting WNV infection in the brain may contribute to the circulation of the virus through oral transmission to predatory birds. |