Sero-positivity of domestic animals against Japanese encephalitis in Bareilly area, U.P.

A study on seroprevalence of Japanese Encephalitis (JE), West Nile (WN) and Dengue-2 (DN-2) was undertaken in and around Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh to explore the role of non-human hosts in the natural cycle of these infections. A total of 1449 animal sera samples collected from 104 dogs, 170 pigs, 170 horses, 333 buffaloes, 252 cattle, 168 sheep and 252 goats were screened for antibodies against JE, WN and DN-2 by Micro-haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test employing 4 to 16 HA units of JE, WN and DN-2 antigens. The HI positivity against JE was found in dogs (55.77%) followed by pigs (40%), horses (37.65%), buffaloes (21.92%), goats (17.86%), sheep (2.38%) and cattle (1.98%). The seropositivity against WN was relatively lower with 24.04% in dogs, pigs (27.65%) horses (25.88%) buffaloes (13.81%), goats (6.75%), cattle (1.19%) and nil in sheep. The seropositivity against DN-2 was lowest among all the three infections with 15.88% in horses, in dogs (15.38), pigs (11.76%) buffaloes (7.81%) and 3.97% in goats. All the cattle and sheep sera gave negative results against DN-2 antigen. The study showed endemicity of the infections in this area.