Volume 10, Number 12—December 2004
Research
VecTest as Diagnostic and Surveillance Tool for West Nile Virus in Dead Birds
Ward B. Stone*
, Joseph C. Okoniewski*, Joseph E. Therrien*, Laura D. Kramer†, Elizabeth B. Kauffman†, and Millicent Eidson†
, Joseph C. Okoniewski*, Joseph E. Therrien*, Laura D. Kramer†, Elizabeth B. Kauffman†, and Millicent Eidson†Table 2
Comparative sensitivity of VecTest with swabs from different sources in RT-PCR–positive birdsa,b
| Species | N | No. positive (% positivec) by VecTest |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | Cloacal | Heart blood | Kidney | ||
| Blue Jay | 37 | 29 (78) | 31 (84) | 28 (76) | 33 (89) |
| American Crow | 36 | 24 (67) | 25 (69) | 25 (69) | 30 (83) |
| House Sparrow | 11 | 9 (82) | 9 (82) | 10 (91) | 10 (91) |
| Raptorsd | 18e | 1 (6)f | 0 | 0 | 1 (6)g |
aRT-PCR, reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction.
bFour sources from each bird, with exceptions noted in footnote e.
cWide band positive only (see text).
dSharp-shinned Hawk (1), Cooper’s Hawk (1), Red-tailed Hawk (7), American Kestrel (1), Merlin (1), Peregrine Falcon (1), Great Horned Owl (6).
en = 14 for cloaca; n = 15 for heart blood.
fPositive VecTest in one American Kestrel.
gPositive VecTest in one Great Horned Owl.
