Approximately 250 isolates of a newly recognized virus, related to western equine encephalitis virus (family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus), were obtained from cimicid bugs, Oeciacus vicarius; Cliff Swallows, Hirundo pyrrhonata; and House Sparrows, Passer domesticus in a study area in west-central Oklahoma at Buggy Creek and Caddo Canyons. Antigenicity of the virus strains varied slightly from isolate to isolate. This paper summarizes the ecology of the area by describing in general the flora and fauna there.

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Fourteen viruses closely related to the Fleming strain of western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus were cross-tested by serum dilution-plaque reduction neutralization. The results demonstrate that strains McMillan, R-43738, AG80-646, BeAr 102091, and Y62-33 are subtypes or varieties of western equine encephalitis virus strain Fleming. Ockelbo, Kyzylagach, and Babanki are subtypes of the prototype strain (EgAr 339) of Sindbis virus. Fort Morgan and Buggy Creek viruses are closely related to each other, whereas Highlands J and Aura viruses are distinct from other members of this antigenic complex. There appear to be parallels between geographic distribution and antigenic relatedness. We hypothesize that birds, the principal vertebrate hosts for these viruses, spread the progenitor viruses north and south and from continent to continent. Viruses of the WEE complex with lesser antigenic differences may develop in discrete ecologic conditions.

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