Surveillance of maternal antibodies against West Nile virus in chicken eggs in South-West Germany

Trop Med Int Health. 2016 May;21(5):687-90. doi: 10.1111/tmi.12676. Epub 2016 Feb 26.

Abstract

Objective: The emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in several European countries increases the risk of its introduction to Germany. This study evaluated a new method for WNV surveillance by testing for maternal antibodies in chicken eggs.

Methods: A total of 1,990 eggs were collected in 35 sampling sites in the south-west of Germany and tested for WNV-specific antibodies.

Results: The results did not indicate evidence for WNV circulation in the study area.

Conclusion: This work serves as a proof-of-concept that such a method is useful and a potential alternative to use of sentinel chicken for regular WNV surveillance.

Keywords: Alemania; Allemagne; Germany; West Nile virus; anticorps maternels; anticuerpos maternos; chicken eggs; huevos de gallina; maternal antibodies; surveillance; vigilancia; virus del Nilo Occidental; virus du Nil occidental; œufs de poules.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / isolation & purification*
  • Chickens / immunology
  • Chickens / virology
  • Eggs / virology*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Germany
  • Sentinel Surveillance*
  • West Nile virus / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral