![]() Likewise, we detected elevated titers of neutralizing antibodies in all the samples tested as well as the viral genome in the organs, oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs and feather pulps of the infected animals. We observed high susceptibility of magpie to WNV infection with virus titers higher than those necessary for the successful transmission of WNV to a mosquito and often resulting in death. Since it has been proposed that magpies play an important role in an endemic WNV cycle in human habitats in Europe, we conducted the first experimental infection of magpie with the two WNV lineages currently circulating in Europe. ![]() Our observations shed light on the pathogenesis, transmission, and ecology of WNV and can benefit the implementation of surveillance and control programs.īirds play an important role in the epidemiology of flaviviruses such as West Nile virus (WNV) since birds are natural hosts and facilitate hibernation of the virus in periods of absence of mosquitoes that transmit the virus. These results suggest that the magpie, which is one of the most abundant corvid species in Europe, could represent a source of WNV transmission for birds and humans. Sham-infected control animals were negative for viremia, viral RNA, and antibodies. ![]() Even more, infectious virus was recovered from swabs up to 7 days post-infection and from feather pulps up to 10 days post infection. WNV-RNA was amplified from swabs (oral and cloacal) at 3, 6 and 7 days post-infection and feather pulps, from 3 to 17 days post-infection, of infected animals. WNV genome was detected in the brains and hearts of all magpies that succumbed to the infection, and, in some of the surviving birds. Neutralizing antibodies were detected at all time points analyzed (from 7 to 17 days post-infection). All infected magpies developed viremia detectable at 3 days post-infection with titers above those necessary for successful transmission of WNV to a mosquito. Magpies were highly susceptible to WNV infection, with similar low survival rates (30% and 42.8%) for both lineages. Herein, we report the first experimental infection of magpie ( Pica pica) with two strains of West Nile virus, lineages 1 (NY-99) and 2 (SRB Novi-Sad/12), which are currently circulating in Europe. Resident birds play an important role in flavivirus epidemiology, since they can serve as reservoirs and facilitate overwintering of the virus. West Nile virus (WNV), a zoonotic pathogen naturally transmitted by mosquitoes whose natural hosts are birds, has spread worldwide during the last few decades.
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