Nemeth, N. M., Williams, L. M., Bosco-Lauth, A. M., Oesterle, P. T., Helwig, M., Bowen, R. A., & Brown, J. D. (2020). WEST NILE VIRUS INFECTION IN RUFFED GROUSE (BONASA UMBELLUS) IN PENNSYLVANIA: A MULTI-YEAR COMPARISON OF STATEWIDE SEROSURVEYS AND VECTOR INDICES. Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

Study Highlights:

Eastern populations of Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) have been in decline, and West Nile virus (WNV) is suspected to have contributed to these declines based on decreased population indices since the arrival of WNV in Pennsylvania as well as on high, experimentally induced WNV-associated morbidity rates.

A 3-yr statewide survey was conducted across Pennsylvania to measure flavivirus (i.e., WNV) seroprevalence among hunter-harvested grouse.

The overall seroprevalence from 2015–17 was 14.4% (81/563)

There was no significant difference in WNV seroprevalence between sex and age group

There was a negative correlation between WNV seroprevalence and WNV vector index (VI). Low seroprevalence rates among Ruffed Grouse corresponded to years with a high VI, supporting experimental findings that Ruffed Grouse may be highly susceptible to WNV-associated disease.