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House finches are competent hosts for both West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis viruses and frequently become infected during outbreaks. In the current study, House finches were infected initially with either West Nile or St. Louis encephalitis viruses and then challenged 6 weeks post infection with either homologous or heterologous viruses. Although mortality rates were high during initial infection with West Nile virus, prior infection with either virus prevented mortality upon challenge with West Nile virus. Prior infection with West Nile virus provided sterilizing immunity against both viruses, whereas prior infection with St. Louis encephalitis virus prevented viremia from St. Louis encephalitis virus, but only reduced West Nile virus viremia titers. Immunologic responses were measured by enzyme immunoassay and plaque reduction neutralization tests. Heterologous challenge with West Nile virus in birds previously infected with St. Louis encephalitis virus produced the greatest immunologic response, markedly boosting antibody levels against St. Louis encephalitis virus. Our data have broad implications for free-ranging avian serological diagnostics and possibly for the recent disappearance of St. Louis encephalitis virus from California.
Received February 4, 2006. Accepted for publication May 8, 2006.
Acknowledgments: The authors thank V. Martinez, B. Carroll, L. Kosareff, and S. Halam, Arbovirus Field Station, for help with the collection and maintenance of the birds, and Sandra Garcia and Siranoosh Ashtari, Arbovirus Laboratory, for help with the EIA and PRNT tests. Sera from free-ranging birds were collected by Sarah Wheeler in Coachella Valley and by Jennifer Wilson in Los Angeles County. This research was funded by Research Grant R01-A155607 from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, grants from the University of California Mosquito Research Program, and supplemental funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Coachella Valley MVCD. Logistical support was provided by the Coachella Valley, Greater Los Angeles County and Kern MVCDs. AC Brault, Center for Vectorborne Diseases, critically read the manuscript.
* Address correspondence to William K. Reisen, Center for Vectorborne Diseases, Old Davis Rd., Davis, CA 95616. E-mail: arbo123{at}pacbell.net
The collection and infection of House finches was done under Protocol 11184 approved by the Animal Use and Care Administrative Advisory Committee of the University of California, Davis, California Resident Scientific Collection Permit No. 801049-02 from the State of California Department of Fish and Game, and Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit No. MB082812-0 from the Department of the Interior. Use of arboviruses was approved under Biological Use Authorization #0554 by Environmental Health and Safety of the University of California, Davis, and USDA Permit #47901.
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