Human Epidemic in Colombia Caused by the Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis Virus

Abstract

Summary The outbreak in a human population of a disease characterized by a mild and short febrile entity was observed in Espinal, Colombia, South America from March to June, 1952. From 2 patients observed during their acute attack a virus was isolated. This agent when compared with a pool of the Kubes and Soriano strains of V.E.E. virus, has been identified as a strain of V.E.E. virus having possibly minor antigenic differences from the above mentioned pool, differences not demonstrable by means of the cross immunity tests. Furthermore, in 10 more sera from persons bled several weeks after the clinical attack, very high titers of neutralizing antibodies against both the pool of the Kubes and Soriano strains and the strain isolated in Espinal were demonstrated.