Wild terrestrial rainforest mammals as potential reservoirs for flaviviruses (yellow fever, dengue 2 and St Louis encephalitis viruses) in French Guiana

A serological. survey for yellow fever virus (YFV), dengue 2 virus (DENV-2), and St Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) was undertaken using a seroneutratization technique in 27 wild forest mammal. species (574 individuals) in French Guiana. Evidence of yellow fever infection was observed in 10 species, with high prevalence recorded in howler monkey (18%) and agouti (20%). Antibodies against DENV-2 and SLEV were found sporadically in various species. This potential host diversity and the range of potential vectors might explain the behaviour of the viruses in epidemic outbreaks and the emergence of periurban loci. (C) 2004 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.