Experimental Studies of Rhesus Monkeys Infected with Epizootic and Enzootic Subtypes of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus

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Abstract
Adult rhesus monkeys were infected with five subtypes of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus (IA, IB, IC, ID, and IE). The animals were studied clinically, and samples of serum were taken for determinations of viremia and antibody, leukocyte counts, and biochemical studies. Only monkeys inoculated with VEE subtype IA, IB, or IC developed fever and signs of illness, although high titers of circulating virus were detected in the sera of all animals. Viremia appeared on day 1 after inoculation and disappeared by days 4–6. Most animals, including those infected with subtype ID or IE, were leukopenic. The concentration of glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase in serum was elevated only in monkeys infected with subtype IA or IC. Sera obtained 12 and 47 days after inoculation were tested by serum dilution neutralization and by conventional and “kinetic” HAI tests. The ability of these sera to distinguish among VEE subtypes was somewhat limited; the antigenic differences observed were nevertheless in general agreement with those described by previous workers. This study supports the hypothesis that enzootic VEE subtypes are less pathogenic than subtypes responsible for major epizootics.

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