West Nile virus infection in killer whale, Texas, USA, 2007

Emerg Infect Dis. 2011 Aug;17(8):1531-3. doi: 10.3201/eid1708.101979.

Abstract

In 2007, nonsuppurative encephalitis was identified in a killer whale at a Texas, USA, marine park. Panviral DNA microarray of brain tissue suggested West Nile virus (WNV); WNV was confirmed by reverse transcription PCR and sequencing. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated WNV antigen within neurons. WNV should be considered in cases of encephalitis in cetaceans.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Viral / analysis
  • Brain / virology
  • Encephalitis, Viral / veterinary*
  • Encephalitis, Viral / virology
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Texas
  • West Nile Fever / diagnosis
  • West Nile Fever / veterinary*
  • West Nile Fever / virology
  • West Nile virus / classification
  • West Nile virus / genetics
  • West Nile virus / immunology
  • West Nile virus / isolation & purification*
  • Whale, Killer / virology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral