Susceptibility of spotted doves to SFTSV infection is dependent on challenge dose.

Susceptibility of spotted doves to SFTSV infection is dependent on challenge dose.</p

Neutralizing antibody titers in spotted doves infected with different challenge doses of two SFTSV strains.

Spotted doves challenged with 107 and 105 PFU of SFTSV (A and B) showed earlier neutralizing antibody than 103 challenge groups (C).</p

Viral distribution, as determined by RNA copy numbers, in organs from birds experimentally infected with 10⁵ PFU of two SFTSV strains.

Viral titers are represented as geometric mean±SD. A detection limit of 0.95 log10RNA copies g-1 was determined. Spotted doves inoculated with 105 PFU of SFTSV strain JS2014 (A) had higher and earlier mean viral loads than birds inoculated with 105 PFU of SFTSV strain JS2010 (B).</p

Change in body mass of the spotted doves following SFTSV challenge.

Mean changes in body mass and standard error bars are plotted at daily intervals following challenge of the spotted doves. Changes in body mass following SFTSV challenge showed a dose and strain dependent response. Birds challenged with 107 plaque-forming units (PFU) of SFTSV strain JS2014 had earlier and greater losses of body mass than did birds challenged with 105 or 103 PFU of the same SFTSV strain. Birds challenged with SFTSV strain JS2014 had greater losses of body mass than the birds challenged with same dose level of SFTSV strain JS2010.</p

Experimental infection of spotted doves with two SFTSV strains.

Error bars represent standard error of the mean log10 PFU/mL of serum. The horizontal dashed line indicates a limit of detection of 101.8 PFU/mL. A: Spotted Doves inoculated with 107 plaque forming units (PFU) of SFTSV strain JS2014 (solid line) had higher mean viral loads that peaked earlier than did birds inoculated with 105 (dashed line) or 103 PFU (fine dashed line) of virus. B: Spotted doves inoculated with 107 plaque forming units (PFU) of SFTSV strain JS2010 (solid line) had higher mean viral loads that peaked earlier than did those birds inoculated with 105 (dashed line) or 103 PFU (fine dashed line) of virus.</p