Abstract
Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) epizoodemics were reported at 6–10-year intervals in northern South America beginning in the 1920s. In 1937, epizootic VEE virus was isolated from infected horse brain and shown as distinct from the North American equine encephalomyelitis viruses. Subsequently, epizootic and sylvatic strains were isolated in distinct ecosystems; isolates were characterized serologically as epizootic subtype I, variants A/B and C; or sylvatic (enzootic) subtype I, variants D, E, and F, and subtypes II, III, and IV. In 1969, variant I-A/B virus was transported from a major outbreak in northern South America to the borders of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. This musical poem describes the history and ecology of VEE viruses and the epidemiology of an unprecedented 1969 movement of VEE viruses from South America to equids and humans in Central America from Costa Rica to Guatemala and Belize and in Mexico and the United States that continued until 1972.
Highlights
Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) epizoodemics were reported at 6–10-year intervals in northern South America beginning in the 1920s
The years roll by, the virus makes a score, In Vene, Colombo, and Ecuador,H Comes rain to the desert instead of dew, And, VEE burns the coast of Peru.I In Trinidad, Panama, they say “Hey, Hey,” We got this creature like every day, His swampy home, you can always tell, By finding some rats and the Culex (Mel).J” Voice-over: Mosquito, that is
Back at Middle America Research Unit (MARU), raggin’ the brains, We found that the virus had different strains Horses convulse with the southern kind, Northern virus leaves them feelin’ fine.K” Refrain ’Cause virus hits man by aerosol, Could be used to cripple us all, In Maryland, they grew it in vats, Tested it out in monkeys and rats.L The other Team outside the fence, Lookin’ for the answer that made some sense, Got a strain from an old donkey, Made a vaccine, TC-83.M The offensive team tried to make some noise, A cloud for the Commies, but not our boys,N Did not work, that is why, NixonO said ‘declassify’
Summary
Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) epizoodemics were reported at 6–10-year intervals in northern South America beginning in the 1920s. In 1937, epizootic VEE virus was isolated from infected horse brain and shown as distinct from the North American equine encephalomyelitis viruses. In 1969, variant I-A/B virus was transported from a major outbreak in northern South America to the borders of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. This musical poem describes the history and ecology of VEE viruses and the epidemiology of an unprecedented 1969 movement of VEE viruses from South America to equids and humans in Central America from Costa Rica to Guatemala and Belize and in Mexico and the United States that continued until 1972
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