Serologic evidence of west nile virus infection in free-ranging mammals, Slidell, Louisiana, 2002.

After an outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) infections in Slidell, Louisiana, in 2002, we detected neutralizing antibodies to WNV in 13 of 120 mammals, representing five of six species sampled. Seroprevalence was measured in opossum, Didelphis virginiana (75%, n = 8), raccoons, Procyon lotor (60%, n = 5), black rats, Rattus rattus (6%, n = 36), hispid cotton rats, Sigmodon hispidus (4%, n = 24), and eastern gray squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis (2%, n = 43).