| characterization of west nile viruses isolated from captive american flamingoes (phoenicopterus ruber) in medellin, colombia. | serum samples from a total of 71 healthy captive birds belonging to 18 species were collected in july of 2008 in medellin (colombia) and tested for flaviviruses. eighteen of 29 samples from american flamingoes (phoenicopterus ruber) were positive for west nile virus (wnv) by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. selected positive samples were serially passaged and wnv was confirmed by immunofluorescence. two isolates (524/08, 9835/08) were characterized in vitro and in vivo. sequence ... | 2012 | 22802436 |