A new gene chip developed at the University of Florida (UF) College of Veterinary Medicine sheds light on brain response in horses infected with West Nile virus (WNV) and could lead to better ways to diagnose and treat both equines and humans, researchers said.

Using gene sequencing technology, the researchers developed a "brain and immunity chip" to characterize molecular changes in the equine brain during illness and recovery from WNV. The findings were published in the journal PloS One in October.

"We hope this will help us understand why some animals and humans become sick and others succumb to the virus resulting in severe illness, lifelong neurological debilitation and even death," said senior author Maureen Long, DVM, PhD, an associate professor of infectious diseases and pathology. "Knowing this will allow us to come up with treatments that aid in recovery from illness."

Lead author and Long’s former graduate student Melissa Bourgeois, DVM, PhD, created a gene library enriched for neurological and immunological sequences to develop the novel chip, which will help target genes that are active during brain disease states