Ridecamp: Re: [RC] WNV

The explanation I have seen (from my local health department) as to why
humans and horses are considered dead end hosts is what is called low viral
amplification - it does replicate fast enough in those animals. A mosquito
is thus not able to suck enough blood from the horse to harbor enough virus
to transmit the disease to another animal. A blood transfusion transfers a
whole lot more blood than a mosquito bite (or even multiple mosquito bites),
the risk in blood transfusions is much higher. It still isn't clear how much
risk there is in transfusions. It would not suprise me either, to discover
the risk of horse to mosquito to horse is not absolutely zero but just
extremely low.

Duncan Fletcher
dfletche@xxxxxxx


----- Original Message -----
From: "Truman Prevatt" <tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>


> According to report on CNN, the CDC has confirmed that it can be spread
> by organ transplants and are investigating cases where it was believed
> to have been spread by blood transfusions. So bird carriers and mosquito
> vector is not the only means in which it can be spread. I don't really
> think anyone knows yet.
>
> Truman
>



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