Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Seroprevalence in Maine Cervids, 2012-2017.

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) first emerged in Maine in the early 2000s and resulted in an epizootic outbreak in 2009. Since 2009, serum samples from cervids throughout Maine have been collected and assessed for the presence of neutralizing antibodies to EEEV to assess EEEV activity throughout the state. We tested 1,119 (white-tailed deer) and 982 (moose) serum samples collected at tagging stations during the hunting seasons from 2012 to 2017 throughout the state of Maine. from all 16 counties were EEEV seropositive, whereas were seropositive in the northwestern counties of Aroostook, Somerset, Piscataquis, and Franklin counties. Seroprevalence in ranged from 6.6% to 21.2% and in from 6.6% to 10.1%. Data from this report in conjunction with findings previously reported from 2009 to 2011 indicate that EEEV is endemic throughout Maine.