SEROLOGIC SURVEY FOR HANTAVIRUS INFECTION IN DOMESTIC-ANIMALS AND COYOTES FROM NEW-MEXICO AND NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA

Objective-To determine whether animals had serologic evidence of infec tion with Sin Nombre virus (SNV). Design-Prospective serosurvey. Sampl e Population-Serum samples were obtained from 145 cats, 85 dogs, 120 h orses, and 24 cattle between April 1993 and August 1994 and 54 coyotes between December 1994 and February 1995. Procedure-Serum samples were analyzed by western immunoblot assays for reaction with SNV nucleocap sid antigen. Samples with reactivity to SNV nucleocapsid proteins were used to probe multiple-antigen blots containing recombinant fusion pr oteins derived from prototypic hantaviruses. lung tissue or blood clot s were used in nested reverse-transcriptase poly polymerase chain reac tion assays for a 320-nucleotide portion of the SNV G1 gene. Results-S era from 4 of 145 (2.8%) cats and 4 of 85 (3.5%) dogs had trace reacti vity to full-length SNV-encoded nucleocapsid proteins. Ail samples fro m horses, cattle, and coyotes were nonreactive. Sera from cats and dog s that had trace IgG-antibody reactivity to nucleocapsid proteins were then tested for IgG-antibody reactivity to nucleocapsid proteins of p rototypic hantaviruses. One cat had multiple cross-reactivities with t hese hantaviruses, consistent with exposure to a hantavirus; however, epitope mapping studies did not support this conclusion. Reverse-trans criptase polymerase chain reaction studies of blood clots or lung tiss ue from 2 animals that had weak reactivity to SNV failed to amplify an y hantavirus sequence. Clinical Implications-Domestic animals, particu larly dogs and cats, as well as coyotes do not appear to have a major role in the maintenance and transmission of SNV.