Domestic Dogs as Sentinels for West Nile Virus but not Aedes-borne Flaviviruses, Mexico

Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 May;28(5):1071-1074. doi: 10.3201/eid2805.211879.

Abstract

We tested 294 domestic pet dogs in Mexico for neutralizing antibodies for mosquito-borne flaviviruses. We found high (42.6%) exposure to West Nile virus in Reynosa (northern Mexico) and low (1.2%) exposure in Tuxtla Gutierrez (southern Mexico) but very limited exposure to Aedes-borne flaviviruses. Domestic dogs may be useful sentinels for West Nile virus.

Keywords: Mexico; West Nile virus; Zika virus; arboviruses; dengue virus; dogs; flaviviruses; pets; vector-borne infections; viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aedes*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Culicidae*
  • Dogs
  • Flavivirus*
  • Mexico / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever* / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever* / veterinary
  • West Nile virus*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing