The data set contains the results of experimental challenge of captive zebra finches with an American crow isolate of West Nile virus (WNV). Data include infectivity, mortality, viremia, oral shedding of virus, and serology for anti- WNV antibodies. Australian and Timor zebra finches were used in this study and both are useful as a laboratory model of an avian species with moderate susceptibility to WNV.

The data set contains paired-end, 100 nucleotide long RNA sequencing reads for each sample. Raw sequencing reads ranged from 18-30million reads per sample. Quality trimmed reads were mapped to the Zebra Finch reference genome with an average of 79.0-80.8% mapping rate, corresponding to 18,618 Ensembl gene IDs. Of these, 14,114 genes averaged at least 5 mapped reads across all samples and were utilized for differential expression (DE) analyses. DE analyzed two ways: as pairwise comparisons between treatments to identify specific genes with DEseq2 and as a time course grouping genes into expression paths with EBSeqHMM.

The data set contains paired-end, 100 nucleotide long RNA sequencing reads for each sample. Raw sequencing reads ranged from 18-30million reads per sample. Quality trimmed reads were mapped to the Zebra Finch reference genome with an average of 79.0-80.8% mapping rate, corresponding to 18,618 Ensembl gene IDs. Of these, 14,114 genes averaged at least 5 mapped reads across all samples and were utilized for differential expression (DE) analyses. DE analyzed two ways: as pairwise comparisons between treatments to identify specific genes with DEseq2 and as a time course grouping genes into expression paths with EBSeqHMM.

Three datasets are included: 1) survival of domesticated canaries and American crows following sub-cutaneous challenges ranging from 101 – 105 plaque forming units of West Nile virus. 2) Arbitrary units of WNV detected by RT-PCR or plaque forming units of WNV cultured in vero cells in 4 separate studies. Culture results are indicated for each day post WNV challenge. 3) Weight (mass) changes in grams in canaries and crows each day following WNV challenge. Day 0 (inoculation) set to 0 gms, then each subsequent day is change in gms from previous day.

Three datasets are included: 1) survival of domesticated canaries and American crows following sub-cutaneous challenges ranging from 101 – 105 plaque forming units of West Nile virus. 2) Arbitrary units of WNV detected by RT-PCR or plaque forming units of WNV cultured in vero cells in 4 separate studies. Culture results are indicated for each day post WNV challenge. 3) Weight (mass) changes in grams in canaries and crows each day following WNV challenge. Day 0 (inoculation) set to 0 gms, then each subsequent day is change in gms from previous day.

Following building an aerosol exposure chamber in which we could expose domesticated zebra finches, we examined the effects of exposure to aerosolized Permanone® 30:30 insecticide (permethrin and piperonyl butoxide in soy oil vehicle) at ~103-106 x potential environmental concentrations on the response to experimental challenge with West Nile virus (WNV). Compared to vehicle control birds, WNV outcome was unchanged (65% of birds produced a viremia) in the ‘low’ exposure (9.52 mg/m3±3.13 SD permethrin) group, but reduced in the ‘high’ exposure (mean 376.5 mg/m3±27.9 SD permethrin) group (30% were viremic) (p < 0.05). After clearing WNV infection, birds treated with Permanone regained less body mass than vehicle treated birds (p < 0.001). Our study suggests that exposure to aerosolized Permanone insecticide at levels exceeding typical application rates has the potential to not change or mildly enhance a bird’s resistance to WNV.

Following building an aerosol exposure chamber in which we could expose domesticated zebra finches, we examined the effects of exposure to aerosolized Permanone® 30:30 insecticide (permethrin and piperonyl butoxide in soy oil vehicle) at ~103-106 x potential environmental concentrations on the response to experimental challenge with West Nile virus (WNV). Compared to vehicle control birds, WNV outcome was unchanged (65% of birds produced a viremia) in the ‘low’ exposure (9.52 mg/m3±3.13 SD permethrin) group, but reduced in the ‘high’ exposure (mean 376.5 mg/m3±27.9 SD permethrin) group (30% were viremic) (p < 0.05). After clearing WNV infection, birds treated with Permanone regained less body mass than vehicle treated birds (p < 0.001). Our study suggests that exposure to aerosolized Permanone insecticide at levels exceeding typical application rates has the potential to not change or mildly enhance a bird’s resistance to WNV.

The authors screened 1,397 feral horses (Equus caballus) on Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, United States, for IgM and IgG against flavivirus during 2004-2006, 2008, and 2009. Positive serum samples were tested for neutralizing antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV) and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV). One animal was positive for antibody against WNV in 2004, but all others tested in 2004-2006 were negative. In 2008 and 2009, the authors found evidence of increasing seropositive horses with age, whereas seroprevalence of WNV decreased from 19% in 2008 to 7.2% in 2009. No horses were positive for antibody against SLEV. Being unvaccinated, feral horses can be useful for WNV surveillance.

To investigate the role of migratory birds in the dissemination of West Nile virus (WNV), we measured the prevalence of infectious WNV and specific WNV neutralizing antibodies in birds, principally Passeriformes, during spring and fall migrations in the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways from 2001-2003. Blood samples were obtained from 13,403 birds, representing 133 species. Specific WNV neutralizing antibody was detected in 254 resident and migratory birds, representing 39 species, and was most commonly detected in northern cardinals ( Cardinalis cardinalis ) (9.8%, N = 762) and gray catbirds ( Dumetella carolinensis ) (3.2%, N = 3188). West Nile virus viremias were detected in 19 birds, including 8 gray catbirds, and only during the fall migratory period. These results provide additional evidence that migratory birds may have been a principal agent for the spread of WNV in North America and provide data on the occurrence of WNV in a variety of bird species.

Males and females from resistant Fayoumi and susceptible Leghorn chicken lines were either challenged with a lentogenic strain of Newcastle Disease virus or given a mock infection at 3 weeks of age. The lung transcriptomes generated by RNA-sequencing were studied using contrasts across the challenged and non-challenged birds, the two lines, and three time points (2,6, and 10 days post-infection) using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGNCA). The data can be retrieved by navigating to https://www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpress/experiments/E-MTAB-5859/. Click the Download button to access the Sample and data relationship dataset file.