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West-Nil-Fieber in Griechenland - Krankheit kann tödlich verlaufen

In Griechenland erkranken und sterben seit einigen Wochen immer mehr Menschen am West-Nil-Fieber. Es wird durch Mücken übertragen. Da es keine Impfung dagegen gibt, sollten Reisende auf sorgfältigen Mückenschutz achten. mehr...

Grüsse
Alexander

West Nile Virus Infection (WNV) in Europe
16.08.2011 - WHO

Laboratory confirmed cases of West Nile Virus infection (WNV) have been reported in a number of European countries. From the beginning of July 2011 to 11 August 2011, WNV infection has officially been reported by Albania (2 cases), Greece (22 cases) Israel (6 cases), Romania (1 case) and the Russian Federation (11 cases). The reporting reflects higher awareness among healthcare workers, enhanced laboratory capacities and favourable weather conditions with rainfall and high temperatures leading to a substantial increase in mosquitoes such as Aedes and Culex species.

The WHO Regional Office for Europe, together with key partners − such as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Network for Diagnostics of “Imported” Viral Diseases (ENIVD) and the Network for Communicable Disease Control in Southern Europe and Mediterranean Countries (EpiSouth) − have been closely monitoring the regional situation of WNV.

WHO encourages the Member States to consider implementing relevant public health measures in order to minimize the impact of a potential WNV outbreak in countries at risk.

In humans, WNV infection is often an asymptomatic or mild febrile illness. About 20% of people who become infected with WNV will develop West Nile fever. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 150 persons infected with the West Nile virus will develop a more severe form of disease (also called neuro-invasive disease). People over the age of 50 and some immunocompromised persons (for example, transplant patients) are at the highest risk for getting severely ill when infected with WNV.

Taking into account that 80 % of infections with WNV are asymptomatic and fewer than 1 % present with severe symptoms such as meningitis or encephalitis, health care workers should consider the possibility of WNV infections during the epidemic period. Due to the unavailability of vaccine against human WNV infection, clinical management plays a key role in reducing severe outcome of the disease. At country level, laboratory capacity for diagnosis should be available. Enhanced human and veterinary surveillance activities will assist public health authorities to implement control measures at source.

Efforts to prevent disease transmission should focus primarily on personal and community protection against mosquito bites. The general population, especially in the affected areas, should be informed about the typical presentation of the disease and vector control strategies, particularly in the domestic environment.

Gruß
Birgitt

WEST NILE VIRUS - EURASIA (07): ITALY (VENETO)
**********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Thu 18 Aug 2011
Source: Eurosurveillance 2011; 16 (33) Article 3 [edited]
<http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArt ... leId=19949>


Human cases of West Nile virus Infection in Northeastern Italy, 15
Jun-15 Nov 2010.

[Reported by: L Barzon1,2, M Pacenti2, R Cusinato2, M Cattai2, E
Franchin1,2, S Pagni1,2, T Martello2, S Bressan2, L Squarzon1, A M
Cattelan3, G Pellizzer4, P Scotton5, A Beltrame6, F Gobbi7, Z
Bisoffi7, F Russo8, G Palu <giorgio.palu@unipd.it>]

Abstract

In 2010, for the 3rd consecutive year, human cases of West Nile virus
(WNV) infection, including 3 confirmed cases of neuroinvasive disease
and 3 confirmed cases of West Nile fever, were identified in
northeastern Italy.

While in 2008 and 2009 all human cases of WNV disease were recorded in
the south of the Veneto region, cases of WNV disease in 2010
additionally occurred in 2 relatively small northern areas of Veneto,
located outside those with WNV circulation in the previous years. WNV
IgG antibody prevalence in blood donors resident in Veneto was
estimated as ranging from 3.2 per 1000 in areas not affected by cases
of WNV disease to 33.3 per 1000 in a highly affected area of the
Rovigo province. No further autochthonous human cases of WNV disease
were notified in Italy in 2010. The recurrence of human cases of WNV
infection for the 3rd consecutive year strongly suggests WNV has
become endemic in northeastern Italy.

Introduction

In Italy, the 1st outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) infection was
reported in 1998 and occurred among horses in the Tuscany region. The
virus re-emerged in 2008, when equine and human cases of West Nile
neuroinvasive disease (WNND) were notified in the Veneto and Emilia
Romagna regions in northeastern Italy. In Veneto, 6 clinical cases of
WNV infection were identified with disease onset from August-September
2008, and all were from the Rovigo province; 3 further human cases of
WNND were notified in Emilia Romagna in September and October 2008.
Veterinary and entomological surveillance documented that WNV
infection was widespread in the same areas in northeastern Italy, with
notification of 794 equine WNV infections in 251 stables and viral
isolation in resident bird species and mosquitoes. Compared to 2008, a
trend towards an increasing number of human WNV infections and a
spread to a wider geographical area was noticed in 2009, when 17 cases
of WNND were notified in northern Italy, including 6 from Veneto, 9
from Emilia-Romagna, and 2 from the Lombardia region.

In 2009, we isolated the virus from a blood donor and sequenced its
whole genome (Ita09, GenBank accession number GU011992). Phylogenetic
analysis classified the Ita09 isolate as Lineage 1, clade 1a, within
the Mediterranean subtype, which includes the majority of strains
responsible for outbreaks in Europe and in the Mediterranean basin.
The full length genome of WNV Ita09 was almost identical to that of
WNV isolated from 2 magpies the year before in the same area and to
WNV sequences obtained from mosquito pools collected in Emilia-Romagna
in 2009, thus suggesting that WNV might have become endemic in some
areas in northern Italy. In these areas, the presence of the _Culex
pipiens_ vector at high density and resident bird species susceptible
to WNV infection, like magpies, carrion crows, and rock pigeons, could
play an important role in WNV persistence and maintenance during
epizootic periods.

Conclusion

In conclusion, for the 3rd consecutive year, human cases of WNV
infection have been identified in northeastern Italy, suggesting WNV
has become endemic in this area. In addition, in 2010, veterinary and
entomologic surveillance identified WNV circulation in Italian areas
that have not been previously affected by WNV infection. An increased
incidence of WNV infection in humans and horses has been also reported
in other European and Mediterranean countries. This epidemiological
situation urges European countries to enhance surveillance of WNV
disease, mosquito control activities, and implementation of measures
to prevent transmission to humans through blood transfusion and organ
donation.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Interestingly, ProMED has not received any reports indicating that WN
virus is circulating in Italy this year (2011), nor were cases
mentioned in the recent WHO Global Alert and Response report (see
ProMED-mail archive no. 20110819.2519). However, it is currently still
well within the transmission season. In any event, absence of
detection of virus is not necessarily indicative of absence of the
virus in the region, so it is too early to discard the possibility
that, in fact, the virus has become endemic there. ProMED will be
interested in receiving reports of human or equine cases, or WNV
detection in mosquito vectors.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of Veneto
can be accessed at <http://healthmap.org/r/00V7>. - Mod.TY]

Veterinärbeamte entdecken West-Nil-Virus nahe Venedig

Nahezu zeitgleich mit der Entdeckung des tropischen Usutu-Virus` in Baden-Württemberg und Rheinland-Pfalz haben Experten in Mitteleuropa einen verwandten und gefährlicheren Erreger gefunden. mehr...

Grüsse
Alexander

Forscher rekonstruiert Übertragungswege der Epidemie auf dem amerikanischen Kontinent
21.10.2011 - scinexx

Das amerikanische Rotkehlchen hat sich als besonders effektiver Seuchenüberträger erwiesen: Der vor allem in Menschennähe vorkommende Singvogel trug entscheidend dazu bei, das West-Nil-Virus in Nordamerika zu verbreiten. Das berichtet ein US-amerikanischer Forscher im Fachmagazin „Science“. Bisher sei nicht bekannt gewesen, welche Vogelarten besonders häufig Träger dieses Krankheitserregers sind. Das West-Nil-Virus wird durch den Stich infizierter Mücken übertragen ... mehr

Gruß
Birgitt

WEST NILE VIRUS - EURASIA (12): ITALY
*************************************

A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org


Date: Thu 27 Oct 2011
Source: Eurosurveillance edition 2011 16(43) Article 2 [edited]
http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArt ... leId=20002


Human Case of Autochthonous West Nile Virus Lineage2 Infection in
Italy, September 2011. Authors: P Bagnarelli
(), K Marinelli1, D Trotta1, A Monachetti, M
Tavio, R Del Gobbo, M R Capobianchi, S Menzo, L Nicoletti, F Magurano,
P E Varaldo

On 10 Sep 2011, a patient in his 50s was admitted to hospital in
Ancona, Italy after 6 days of high fever and no response to
antibiotics. West Nile virus (WNV) infection was suspected after tests
to determine the aetiology of the fever were inconclusive. On 20 Sep
[2011], WNV-specific IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in the
patient's serum. Genomic sequencing of the viral isolate showed that
the virus belonged to WNV lineage 2.

WNV infections have been reported in both humans and horses since the
summer of 2008 in northeastern Italy, but until now, as far as we are
aware, only WNV lineage 1 infections have been described in the
country.

To the best of our knowledge, WNV infection has never been reported
before in horses or other sentinel animals in the Marche region. A
possible arthropod reservoir has never been investigated, but given
the absence of infection in sentinel animals and the absence of
diagnosed cases of WNV meningoencephalitis, the region was considered
to be at lower risk than the WNV-affected areas of northeast of the
country

Discussion
A number of cases of human WNV infection have been reported over the
past few years in Italy [16], but never in or close to the Marche
region, with the exception of one infection acquired through a kidney
transplant from a donor from an affected region. In the Marche, since
the summer of 2010, tests for WNV infection have been performed
exclusively for the differential diagnosis of meningoencephalitis
cases in the summer months . Since the summer of 2011, WNV serological
tests are carried out also for patients with fever of unknown origin
who are negative for Toscana virus. Had this diagnostic algorithm not
been adopted, the cause of the patient's febrile illness would not
have been determined, and the WNV lineage 2 strain would not have been
identified.

Our data show that tests to detect WNV RNA in serum or plasma may give
false-negative results due to the short duration of viraemia. Urine
samples may be more appropriate when looking for the presence of WNV,
because of longer shedding and higher viral load. Whole WNV genome
reconstruction was also easily achieved from the urine sample.

The WNV lineage 1 sequences from human infections in 2008 to 2009 in
Italy were grouped into a distinct cluster within the western
Mediterranean cluster, suggesting autochthonous spread of a single
virus strain without de novo introduction. The finding of the case in
Ancona described in this report might suggest that viral strains
circulating in other European countries during this summer [2011]
might be spreading to Italy. It is possible that the lineage 2 virus
reached Ancona via infected mosquitoes carried by ships or via birds
from the eastern part of Europe. An epidemiological investigation is
underway in the Ancona area to identify risk factors for infection and
the possible local spread of lineage 2 WNV among insect vectors and
birds.

Autochthonous WNV human infection has been reported in several
European countries this summer [2011], including those of the
Mediterranean. As of 20 Oct 2011, 89 confirmed human cases of West
Nile fever have been reported in the European Union (66 in Greece, 13
in Italy and 10 in Romania) and 149 in neighbouring countries (121 in
the Russian Federation, 21 in Israel, 3 in Turkey, 2 in Albania and 2
in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). Notably, cases of WNV
infection in Greece in 2011 occurred in areas that had not been
affected in 2010.

In conclusion, stronger vector control programmes, integrated human
and animal WNV surveillance and implementation of diagnostic
procedures that include testing of urine samples for WNV detection
could provide a useful contribution to controlling WNV spread and
human disease.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts


[This interesting report of the appearance of WNV lineage 2 in Italy
illustrates the value of effective laboratory diagnostic approaches
and exploring a broad range of etiological agents in cases where
common symptoms occur. Urine testing appears to be more useful than
serological testing or attempts at virus isolation from blood or
cerebral spinal fluid because of longer persistence of WNV in kidneys.
It will be interesting to see whether WNV lineage 2 continues to
spread in Italy and southern Europe as the authors suggest it might.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of the
Marche region in Italy can be accessed at
http://healthmap.org/r/1nl3. - Mod.TY]

WEST NILE VIRUS - EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA
*****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org


Date: Thu 18 Oct 2012
Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control West Nile Fever Maps [edited]
http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/w ... index.aspx


As of 18 Oct 2012, 224 human cases of West Nile fever have been reported in the EU and 538 cases in neighbouring countries. Since the last update, Greece has detected one new case from Thessaloniki, a prefecture with previous case reports.

In neighbouring countries, the 1st confirmed case of West Nile fever has been reported from the province of Jijel, Algeria.

The Russian Federation has reported 2 new cases in Voronezhskaya, an oblast with previous case reports.

This week, Serbia has reported 6 new cases, 2 from the new districts of Sumadijski and Zapadno-Backi and 4 from districts with previous case reports (Grad Beograd 3, Sremski 1). In addition, the number of cases previously reported has been updated. All these cases are located in districts with previous case reports (Grad Beograd 43, Juzno-Banatski 9, and Sremski 5). For one case, the location is still unknown.

[The country case totals for 2012 as of 18 Oct 2012 are:]

Greece 160
Hungary 8
Italy 42
Romania 14
Croatia 5
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 5
Kosovo 4
Serbia 64
Russian Federation 396

Israel 46
Occupied Palestinian territory 2

Algeria 1
Tunisia 15

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[This has been a very active year for West Nile virus transmission and human cases around the Mediterranean Basin, Central Europe and the Russian Federation, as well as in North America.

The URL above provides a map of the countries with WNV human cases and a list of the specific areas within the countries affected. - Mod.TY

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/3O-H.]

WEST NILE VIRUS - EUROPE (05)
*****************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Wed 11 Sep 2013
Source: Vaccine News Daily [edited]
http://vaccinenewsdaily.com/medical_cou ... ile-fever/


West Nile fever is currently peaking in the European Union with 28 new cases reported over the last week, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said on Friday [6 Sep 2013].

The fever-causing virus is also spreading to newly affected areas, including 4 newly affected provinces in Italy and 2 newly affected counties in Romania. West Nile fever spread to the Italian provinces of Verona, Reggio Emilia, Mantova and Bologna. The newly affected Romanian counties included Tulcea and Constanta.

A case detected in Austria was withdrawn when additional laboratory tests found no West Nile virus infection.

There were 33 new cases of West Nile fever in the last week in neighboring countries to the EU.

As of Thursday [5 Sep 2013], there were 106 human cases of West Nile fever reported in the EU with 289 cases of West Nile fever in neighboring countries since the start of the 2013 transmission season.

The number of new cases of West Nile fever topped last week's report, which reported 26 new cases in the EU in the week ending 29 Aug [2013].

West Nile fever is a disease caused by the mosquito-borne West Nile virus. EU blood safety legislation requires that accurate information is gathered about areas affected by the virus in a timely manner.

[Byline: Bryan Cohen]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts
<promed@promedmail.org>

[This continues to be an active West Nile virus (WNV) transmission season this year (2013). With a month or more of WNV transmission remaining in most of these countries, more cases can be expected. Presumably, health authorities in the affected countries are advising citizens to avoid mosquito bites. No mention is made of equine cases in the above or previous reports, but it would not be surprising if some have occurred.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Europe showing the locations of the countries mentioned can be accessed at http://healthmap.org/r/1-q1. - Mod.TY]

Da das West Nil Fieber mittlerweile in Deutschland Einzug hält, hier ein Artikel, in dem einige Fragen beantwortet werden:

Spektrum:
5 Fragen zum West-Nil-Fieber in Deutschland

Grüsse
Alexander