Detection of eastern equine encephalitis virus antibodies in moose (Alces americana), Maine, 2010.

Moose sera were collected from harvested animals during the 2010 hunting season in Maine. Of the 145 serum samples screened by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), 16 (11%) had antibodies to eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV). Positive samples were collected from Aroostook County (n=13), Somerset County (n=2), and Piscataquis County (n=1) in northern and central Maine. Preliminary mosquito surveillance revealed the presence of enzootic and bridge vectors mosquitoes, including Culiseta (Climacura) melanura (Coquillett), Aedes (Aedimorphus) vexans (Meigen), and Coquillettidia (Coquillettidia) perturbans (Walker). Select mosquito species were tested by RT-PCR for the presence of EEEV. None were positive. This is the first report of EEEV in moose from Maine.