Two experiments assessed the ability of antibody against St Louis encephalitis virus [SLE] to persist until the following summer and then protect against rechallenge with the same strain of virus. Protection was assessed by monitoring viremia titer and infect ion of the vector mosquito, Culex tarsalis. Data indicated that antibody titer decreased during winter and was not detectable by plaque reduction neutralization assay in most birds [i.e., titer <1:20]. Some rechallenged birds developed a detectable viremia but subsequently failed to produce an animistic antibody response.
Species 1: Diptera Culicidae Culex tarsalis
Keywords: St Louis encephalitis virus, antibody persistence
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA