Association of Vertebrate Pathogens with Ecological Perturbation of Tropical Forests

The objective of the study was to document the ecological effects of perturbation of tropical forests. A sera bank from wild vertebrates captured in Providencia, Columbia, and from human and domesticated animals has been established. Serological testing has been done. Neutralizing antibodies to five zoonotic diseases and to the sandfly isolates have been detected in the Providencia area. There is evidence for Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection in wild mammals, cattle, swine and horses, but not in wild birds. Antibody prevalence to New Jersey and Indiana serotypes of vesicular stomatitis virus are suprisingly high in wild and domesticated mammals but not in birds, suggesting a sylvan maintenance cycle, since domesticated animal populations in the area are very low. Eastern equine encephalitis is moderate.