Cotton Rats and House Sparrows as Hosts for North and South American Strains of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus

摘要

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV; family Toga-viridae, genus Alphavirus) is an arbovirus that causes se-vere disease in humans in North America and in equids throughout the Americas. The enzootic transmission cycle of EEEV in North America involves passerine birds and the ornithophilic mosquito vector, Culiseta melanura, in fresh-water swamp habitats. However, the ecology of EEEV in South America is not well understood. Culex (Melanocon-ion) spp. mosquitoes are considered the principal vectors in Central and South America; however, a primary vertebrate host for EEEV in South America has not yet been identi-fi ed. Therefore, to further assess the reservoir host potential of wild rodents and wild birds, we compared the infection dynamics of North American and South American EEEV in cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) and house sparrows (Pass-er domesticus). Our fi ndings suggested that each species has the potential to serve as amplifi cation hosts for North and South America EEEVs