Possible Role of Birds in the Maintenance of Yellow Fever in West Africa

Abstract

IN 1936 it was shown that the blood of monkeys from endemic yellow fever zones in Africa contained immune bodies to the yellow fever virus, as judged by the intraperitoneal mouse protection test: the sera of monkeys outside the endemic zone did not contain immune bodies¹. These results have since been confirmed by other workers. At the same time, the blood of a sheep from the Gambia was found to possess virucidal bodies against the yellow fever virus. Since then virucidal bodies have been found in the blood of cattle, sheep, dogs, pigs and a camel: the significance of these findings in domestic animals awaits further study, since virucidal bodies were present in the blood of certain domestic animals living outside the commonly accepted yellow fever zone.