A new gene chip developed at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine sheds light on brain response in horses infected with West Nile virus and could lead to better ways to diagnose and treat both equines and humans infected with the disease.
West Nile virus is caused by a virus that is harbored in birds and spread via mosquitoes to other birds, people, and horses. Most birds do not develop the disease, although crows and blue jays often die as a result of infection with the virus. Horses and people are known as dead-end hosts because no evidence shows cases of the disease being spread to other humans or animals.
New light on brain response in horses
West Nile virus is caused by a virus that is harbored in birds and spread via mosquitoes to other birds, people, and horses.
The researchers hope that the findings will help explain why some animals and people simply get sick from West Nile infection while others experience severe illness, lifelong neurological debilitation and even death. "Knowing this," says Dr. Maureen Long, a UF associate professor of infectious diseases and pathology, "will allow us to come up with treatments that aid in recovery from illness."
Using gene sequencing technology, the researchers developed a “brain and immunity chip” to characterize molecular changes in the equine brain during illness and recovery from West Nile virus.
A gene chip, or microarray, is a slide with hundreds of pieces of DNA strands arranged in a regular pattern. When those strands, called probes, are exposed to genetic material from equine cells, researchers can identify genes associated with equine brain disease. The UF group relied on Agilent Technologies, based in Santa Clara, Calif., which has patented the probes.
West Nile virus is caused by a virus that is harbored in birds and spread via mosquitoes to other birds, people, and horses. Most birds do not develop the disease, although crows and blue jays often die as a result of infection with the virus. Horses and people are known as dead-end hosts because no evidence shows cases of the disease being spread to other humans or animals.