West Nile Virus Discovered in Texas Quail Population

Researchers with a conservation alliance based at Texas Tech have found a quail loaded with high levels of the antibody that fights West Nile virus. The small bird, known as a scaled or blue quail, was captured in Potter County by a team from Quail-Tech Alliance, a partnership between Texas Tech’s natural resources management department and Quail First, a Dallas-based non-profit quail conservation organization. “The high level of detectable antibody is indicative not only of a possible current infection, but to past viral exposure,” said Kristyn Urban, a doctoral research assistant from the university’s Institute of Environmental and Human Health. “The presence of antibodies to West Nile virus suggests that quail might show resistance to this virus or perhaps be another host to the life cycle of the virus.”...more