Abstract
Abstract Previously, we have demonstrated that goose-derived anti-West Nile Virus (WNV) antibodies are both protective against WNV infection in avian and mammalian subjects, and specific for a broad spectrum of WNV proteins. West Nile Virus (WNV), a single stranded positive sense RNA virus from the family Flaviviridae, is capable of causing severe disease in humans including meningitis, encephalitis, and/or poliomyelitis and may ultimately lead to permanent paralysis or death. The natural reservoir for WNV is wild birds, but the virus can be spread through a mosquito vector to mammals. The epidemiology of WNV infections indicates that a population-wide vaccine is neither necessary nor cost-effective. However, an effective passive therapeutic antibody treatment would provide an excellent alternative for individuals with WNV infection involving the CNS. Characterization of the protective WNV-specific goose antibodies indicates a polyclonal response predominately of the IgY isotype with diverse specificities, including WNV proteins E, pre-M and NS3. Further evaluation indicates that multiple epitopes are recognized on the E, M, NS1, and NS3 proteins. This diverse reactivity suggests enhanced recognition of and protection against various replicative and envelope components within the virus, across WNV strains, and potentially for other flaviviruses.
Published Version
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