West Nile Virus Infection in Killer Whale, Texas, USA, 2007

• Published in: Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Main Authors: Judy A. St. Leger, Guang Wu, Mark Anderson, Les Dalton, Erika Nilson, David Wang
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2011
• Subjects: West Nile virus; killer whale; Orcinus orca; cetaceans; nonsuppurative encephalitis; zoonoses; Medicine; R; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Killer Whale; Orca; Killer whale
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1708.101979; https://doaj.org/article/6c0e98bd52514801aaca4007ce80eee8

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.