Origin of the West Nile Virus Responsible for an Outbreak of Encephalitis in the Northeastern United States

Lanciotti, R. S.; Roehrig, J. T.; Deubel, V.; Smith, J.; Parker, M.; Steele, K.; Crise, B.; Volpe, K. E.; Crabtree, M. B.; Scherret, J. H.; Hall, R. A.; MacKenzie, J. S.; Cropp, C. B.; Panigrahy, B.; Ostlund, E.; Schmitt, B.; Malkinson, M.; Banet, C.; Weissman, J.; Komar, N.; Savage, H. M.; Stone, W.; McNamara, T.; Gubler, D. J.

doi:10.1126/science.286.5448.2333

Origin of the West Nile Virus Responsible for an Outbreak of Encephalitis in the Northeastern United States

In late summer 1999, an outbreak of human encephalitis occurred in the northeastern United States that was concurrent with extensive mortality in crows ( Corvus species) as well as the deaths of several exotic birds at a zoological park in the same area. Complete genome sequencing of a flavivirus…