Western Equine Encephalomyelitis (Encephalitis, Western Equine)

A form of arboviral encephalitis (which primarily affects horses) endemic to western and central regions of NORTH AMERICA. The causative organism (ENCEPHALOMYELITIS VIRUS, WESTERN EQUINE) may be transferred to humans via the bite of mosquitoes (CULEX tarsalis and others). Clinical manifestations include headache and influenza-like symptoms followed by alterations in mentation, SEIZURES, and COMA. DEATH occurs in a minority of cases. Survivors may recover fully or be left with residual neurologic dysfunction, including PARKINSONISM, POSTENCEPHALITIC. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1996, Ch26, pp8-9)

Also Known As:

Networked: 149 relevant articles (6 outcomes, 6 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Infections
2.	Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis
3.	Virus Diseases (Viral Diseases)
4.	Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis
5.	St. Louis Encephalitis

Experts

1.	Reisen, William K: 5 articles (04/2016 - 03/2003)
2.	Fang, Ying: 4 articles (05/2015 - 03/2003)
3.	Parker, Michael D: 3 articles (10/2014 - 10/2002)
4.	Nagata, Les P: 3 articles (03/2005 - 11/2004)
5.	Pittman, Phillip R: 2 articles (01/2020 - 08/2009)
6.	Reisler, Ronald B: 2 articles (01/2020 - 11/2012)
7.	Brault, Aaron C: 2 articles (05/2015 - 05/2009)
8.	Gibbs, Paul H: 2 articles (11/2012 - 08/2009)
9.	Weaver, Scott C: 2 articles (02/2010 - 11/2006)
10.	Das, Dipankar: 2 articles (03/2005 - 11/2004)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Western Equine Encephalomyelitis:

1.	VaccinesIBA 11/26/2012 - "Immune interference in the setting of same-day administration of two similar inactivated alphavirus vaccines: eastern equine and western equine encephalitis." 02/01/2010 - "Transmission potential of two chimeric western equine encephalitis vaccine candidates in Culex tarsalis." 08/06/2009 - "Volunteers who received the inactivated eastern and western equine encephalitis (EEE and WEE) vaccines before live attenuated Venezuelan (VEE) vaccine had significantly lower rates of antibody response than those receiving VEE vaccine before EEE and WEE vaccines (66.7% vs. 80.6%; p=0.026). " 02/01/1976 - "Preparation and testing of vaccines prepared from the envelopes of Venezuelan, eastern, and western equine encephalomyelitis viruses." 10/01/1972 - "At 8 hr postvaccination with 10(3) median immunizing doses of TC-83 vaccine, 15 to 20% of animals were protected against challenge with VEE virus as well as Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis viruses. "
2.	AntigensIBA 05/01/1978 - "The only positive results were given by 19 serum specimens against one or more of group B arbovirus antigens, and/or against Batai and western equine encephalomyelitis antigens. " 09/01/1969 - "An improved method for the preparation of a stable noninfective western equine encephalomyelitis diagnostic antigen." 10/01/1968 - "Preparation of a stable non-infective western equine encephalomyelitis virus antigen from allantoic fluid." 03/01/1955 - "Experimental observations on a skin-test antigen for Western equine encephalomyelitis." 05/01/1986 - "Sensitivity and specificity of antigen detection were excellent (100% for both) in house sparrows experimentally inoculated with EEE, Highlands J (HJ), western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE), or St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus and bled at 24 hr intervals. "
3.	Ether (Diethyl Ether)IBA 07/19/1946 - "Anesthesia, by ether, is effective in the treatment of western equine encephalomyelitis in mice. " 05/31/1947 - "1. Experimental neurotropic virus infections previously shown to be altered by ether anesthesia are caused by viruses destroyed in vitro by anesthetic ether; this group includes the viruses of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis, Western equine encephalomyelitis, and St. Louis encephalitis. " 05/01/1954 - "Through the use of acetone and ether extraction of brain tissue from newborn mice infected with certain arthropod-borne viruses, it has been possible to demonstrate hemagglutinins for chick erythrocytes associated with the following viruses: dengue Type 1, dengue Type 2, Eastern equine encephalitis, Ilhéus, Japanese B, Ntaya, St. Louis, Sindbis, Uganda S, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, West Nile (Egypt 101 strain), Western equine encephalitis, and yellow fever (viscerotropic and neurotropic strains). "
4.	Complementary DNA (cDNA)IBA 02/01/2003 - "Analogous mutations were produced in full-length cDNA clones of the Cba 87 strain of western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus by site-directed mutagenesis in an attempt to develop an improved WEE vaccine. " 10/25/2002 - "Chimeric cDNA clones, pMWE1000 and pMWE2000, differing by five nucleotides at their 5' termini, were constructed of the 5' two-thirds of the western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus genome (encoding nonstructural proteins) and the 3' one-third of the eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus genome (encoding structural proteins). "
5.	A-Form DNA (A-DNA)IBA 03/18/2005 - "The efficacy of a DNA vaccine against western equine encephalitis (WEE) infection in mice was evaluated. "
6.	Vidarabine (Vira-A)FDA Link 07/25/1980 - "After brain biopsy and administration of vidarabine, the patient's condition improved but was ultimately diagnosed as a case of western equine encephalitis. "
7.	AntibodiesIBA 01/01/1971 - "A study was made of feeding and temperature as factors affecting the appearance of western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus-neutralizing serum (VNS) antibodies in the serum of garter snakes (Thamnophis spp). " 01/01/2000 - "From 1987 through 1996 (10 yr), 52,589 birds were bled and their sera tested for SLE and western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) virus antibodies by the hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) test. " 11/01/1997 - "Prevalence of antibodies to western equine encephalomyelitis and St. Louis encephalitis viruses in residents of California exposed to sporadic and consistent enzootic transmission." 05/01/1986 - "[Virus-specific antibodies in persons inoculated with a bivaccine against eastern and western equine encephalomyelitis]." 01/01/1976 - "Formation of specific antibodies coursed more intensively after the administration of a more pathogenic virusof Western equine encephalomyelitis."
8.	DDTIBA 01/01/1948 - "Western equine encephalitis control studies in Kern County, California, 1945; the effectiveness of residual DDT deposits on adult Culex mosquito populations." 01/01/1948 - "Western equine encephalitis control studies in Kern County, California, 1945; an evaluation of the effectiveness of certain types of mosquito control including residual DDT on virus infection rates in Culex mosquitoes and in chickens."
9.	Antiviral Agents (Antivirals)IBA 06/01/2009 - "A mouse model of western equine encephalitis (WEE) was characterized for use in antiviral studies. " 05/01/1966 - "No antiviral effect was observed with BCNU against western equine encephalomyelitis, polio, and parainfluenza (HA-1) viruses. " 08/01/1990 - "cytidine, 5-fluorouracil and uracil) were tested by agar-diffusion plaque-inhibition test for their antiviral activity with herpes simplex, vaccinia, fowl plague, Newcastle disease and western equine encephalomyelitis viruses. "
10.	SuspensionsIBA 02/01/1955 - "Experiments are presented in which the plaque assay technique was used to study the intracellular appearance and release of Western equine encephalomyelitis virus in suspensions of infected chick embryo fibroblasts. " 02/01/1955 - "The maturation of Western equine encephalomyelitis virus and its release from chick embryo cells in suspension." 01/01/1980 - "F1 pregnancy obtained from field-collected Aedes trivittatus were evaluated for susceptibility to infection with western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) virus by intrathoracic inoculation and by oral imbibition of virus-blood suspensions through a membrane. "

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Anesthesia 07/19/1946 - "Influence of anesthesia on experimental western equine encephalomyelitis." 07/19/1946 - "Influence of Anesthesia on Experimental Western Equine Encephalomyelitis." 10/01/1945 - "Combined anesthesia and hyperimmune serum therapy in the treatment of experimental Western equine encephalomyelitis." 07/19/1946 - "Anesthesia, by ether, is effective in the treatment of western equine encephalomyelitis in mice. " 05/31/1947 - "1. Experimental neurotropic virus infections previously shown to be altered by ether anesthesia are caused by viruses destroyed in vitro by anesthetic ether; this group includes the viruses of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis, Western equine encephalomyelitis, and St. Louis encephalitis. "
2.	Therapeutics 10/01/1945 - "Combined anesthesia and hyperimmune serum therapy in the treatment of experimental Western equine encephalomyelitis."
3.	Artificial Respiration (Mechanical Ventilation) 01/01/1983 - "We describe a young male who required assisted mechanical ventilation in association with western equine encephalitis. "
4.	Critical Care (Surgical Intensive Care) 01/01/2016 - "Similarly, children requiring critical care were more likely to have a broad diagnostic evaluation sent including cerebrospinal fluid cultures, blood bacterial and fungal cultures, western equine encephalitis antibody, St. Louis equine encephalitis antibody, varicella-zoster serology, human immunodeficiency virus 1 antibody, human immunodeficiency virus DNA polymerase chain reaction, acid-fast stain, and Lyme disease serology. "
5.	Aftercare (After-Treatment) 02/01/1976 - "Envelope components were separated from Venezuelan, Eastern, and Western equine encephalomyelitis viruses after treatment of the virions with detergent. "