Usutu Virus Antibody Dynamics in Naturally Infected Blackbirds, the Netherlands, 2016-2018

TY - JOUR

T1 - Usutu Virus Antibody Dynamics in Naturally Infected Blackbirds, the Netherlands, 2016-2018

AU - de Bruin, Erwin

AU - van Irsel, Jurrian

AU - Chandler, Felicity

AU - Kohl, Robert

AU - van de Voorde, Tess

AU - van der Linden, Anne

AU - de Boer, Fred

AU - Koopmans, Marion

AU - van der Jeugd, Henk

AU - Reusken, Chantal

PY - 2025/6

Y1 - 2025/6

N2 - Usutu virus is a zoonotic arbovirus that causes massive mortality in blackbirds. Using a unique longitudinal dataset on the kinetics of virus-specific antibodies in naturally infected wild blackbirds (Turdus merula), we found that individual birds may remain seropositive for >1 year and that reinfection can occur despite low-level virus neutralizing antibodies.

AB - Usutu virus is a zoonotic arbovirus that causes massive mortality in blackbirds. Using a unique longitudinal dataset on the kinetics of virus-specific antibodies in naturally infected wild blackbirds (Turdus merula), we found that individual birds may remain seropositive for >1 year and that reinfection can occur despite low-level virus neutralizing antibodies.

KW - antibodies

KW - arboviruses

KW - blackbirds

KW - the Netherlands

KW - Turdus merula

KW - Usutu virus

KW - vector-borne infections

KW - viruses

KW - West Nile virus

KW - zoonoses

U2 - 10.3201/eid3106.241744

DO - 10.3201/eid3106.241744

M3 - Article

C2 - 40439549

AN - SCOPUS:105007130289

SN - 1080-6040

VL - 31

SP - 1244

EP - 1246

JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases

JF - Emerging Infectious Diseases

IS - 6

ER -