ECOLOGIC STUDIES OF VESICULAR STOMATITIS VIRUS.I. PREVALENCE OF INFECTION AMONG ANIMALS AND HUMANS LIVING IN AN AREA OF ENDEMIC VSV ACTIVITY

Tesh, R. B., P. H. Peralta and K. M. Johnson (Middle America Research Unit, Box 2011, Balboa Heights, Canal Zone). Ecologic studies of vesicular stomatitis virus. I. Prevalence of infection among animals and humans living in an area of endemic VSV activity. Amer. J. Epid., 1969, 90: 255-261.-The prevalence of VSV neutralizing antibodies in various Panamanian human and animal populations was studied. Among wild animals, VSV-lndiana antibodies were found mainly in arboreal and semiarboreal species. VSV-New Jersey infection rates in feral animals were highest in Chiroptera, Carnivora, and certain rodents. Domestic animals and humans had high antibody rates to both VSV-lndiana and New Jersey. The antibody prevalence in humans increased with age, suggesting a direct relation between VSV infection rates and length of residence in the endemic area. Geographic and species differences in antibody rates between VSV-lndiana and New Jersey imply that the two virus serotypes may have different cycles in nature. Available evidence suggests that VSV-lndiana is arthropod-transmitted; the mode of VSV-New Jersey transmission is unknown. © 1969 by The Johns Hopkins University.