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Ebola Virus Antibody Prevalence in Dogs and Human Risk
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/3/pdfs/04-0981.pdf
Summary
During the 2001?2002 outbreak in Gabon, we
observed that several dogs were highly exposed to Ebola
virus by eating infected dead animals. To examine whether
these animals became infected with Ebola virus, we sam-
pled 439 dogs and screened them by Ebola virus?specific
immunoglobulin (Ig) G assay, antigen detection, and viral
polymerase chain reaction amplification. Seven (8.9%) of
79 samples from the 2 main towns, 15 (15.2%) of 99
samples from Mekambo, and 40 (25.2%) of 159 samples
from villages in the Ebola virus?epidemic area had
detectable Ebola virus?IgG, compared to only 2 (2%) of 102
samples from France. Among dogs from villages with both
infected animal carcasses and human cases, seropreva-
lence was 31.8%. A significant positive direct association
existed between seroprevalence and the distances to the
Ebola virus?epidemic area. This study suggests that dogs
can be infected by Ebola virus and that the putative infec-
tion is asymptomatic.
Ebola Virus Antibody Prevalence in Dogs and Human Risk
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/3/pdfs/04-0981.pdf
Summary
During the 2001?2002 outbreak in Gabon, we
observed that several dogs were highly exposed to Ebola
virus by eating infected dead animals. To examine whether
these animals became infected with Ebola virus, we sam-
pled 439 dogs and screened them by Ebola virus?specific
immunoglobulin (Ig) G assay, antigen detection, and viral
polymerase chain reaction amplification. Seven (8.9%) of
79 samples from the 2 main towns, 15 (15.2%) of 99
samples from Mekambo, and 40 (25.2%) of 159 samples
from villages in the Ebola virus?epidemic area had
detectable Ebola virus?IgG, compared to only 2 (2%) of 102
samples from France. Among dogs from villages with both
infected animal carcasses and human cases, seropreva-
lence was 31.8%. A significant positive direct association
existed between seroprevalence and the distances to the
Ebola virus?epidemic area. This study suggests that dogs
can be infected by Ebola virus and that the putative infec-
tion is asymptomatic.
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