Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV): a review.

SUMMARY Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) belongs to the Alphavirus of the new world. This virus is considered an emerging disease in equines, humans and others wild animals, that is transmitted between vertebrate hosts by infected mosquitoes. Sporadic outbreaks occurred from the begging of the 20 th century caused neurological syndrome in equines and humans. VEE complex alphavirus are classified into six distinct antigenic subtypes each with varieties. The antigenic subtypes IAB and IC, have been responsible for all epizootics. There are two main hypotheses for the origin of epizootic VEE viruses: First, use of inadequately inactivated vaccines using epizootic VEE IAB virus and second, evolution from closely related enzootic VEE strains like subtype ID strains. This enzootic subtype circulates in tropical lowland forest between Colombia and Venezuela. Their circulating and outbreaks epidemics needs control measure, like vectors control, mobilization between borders, and vaccination with safe and effective vaccines.