Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus activity in the Gulf Coast region of Mexico, 2003-2010.

• Published in: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: A Paige Adams, Roberto Navarro-Lopez, Francisco J Ramirez-Aguilar, Irene Lopez-Gonzalez, Grace Leal, Jose M Flores-Mayorga, Amelia P A Travassos da Rosa, Kali D Saxton-Shaw, Amber J Singh, Erin M Borland, Ann M Powers, Robert B Tesh, Scott C Weaver, Jose G Estrada-Franco
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001875; https://doaj.org/article/7575f3ee20b1408bad48fa4a1a8d5888

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) has been the causative agent for sporadic epidemics and equine epizootics throughout the Americas since the 1930s. In 1969, an outbreak of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) spread rapidly from Guatemala and through the Gulf Coast region of Mexico, reaching Texas in 1971. Since this outbreak, there have been very few studies to determine the northward extent of endemic VEEV in this region. This study reports the findings of serologic surveillance in the Gulf Coast region of Mexico from 2003-2010. Phylogenetic analysis was also performed on viral isolates from this region to determine whether there have been substantial genetic changes in VEEV since the 1960s. Based on the findings of this study, the Gulf Coast lineage of subtype IE VEEV continues to actively circulate in this region of Mexico and appears to be responsible for infection of humans and animals throughout this region, including the northern State of Tamaulipas, which borders Texas.