Antibodies against Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Bovine Sera in Nagasaki, 1981.

Antibodies against Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus in sera from bovines placed at 5 locations in Nagasaki Prefecture were measured by the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI), neutralization (N) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) during sum- mer seasons in 1981. In every location, both the antibody positive rates and the geo- metrical mean titer (GMT) of antibodies were found to increase during the epidemic season, indicating the wide-spread infection of bovines by JE virus. Detection of JE virus infection was highest by the N, followed by the ELISA, then by the HI. Comparison of the antibody levels and antibody positive rates among bovines with those in swine indicated that bovines are less sensitive to JE virus compared with swine.