An attempt to establish the chronic infection of pigeons with Japanese encephalitis virus

Abstract

Domestic pigeons produced viremia almost readily for first 5 days when they were inoculated with Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus. JE virus persisted in liver and kidney of one pigeon out of 6 used at least for 39 days. Immune response of infected pigeons was not high, and the antibody levels decreased gradually through a 15-week observation. No cyclic fluctuation of antibody levels was observed during the observation period. The mosquito Culex tritaeniorhynchus was infected by feeding on a viremic pigeon when the virus concentration of blood exceeded (10)^<1.3> suckling mice (ICLD)_<50>/0.02ml. The tick Argas japonicus, on the contrary, failed to accept the virus through the feeding on the viremic pigeon. These findings had different pictures from those of West Nile virus infected in pigeons and Argas ticks.