| Autor: |
Bogdanic M; Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Savic V; Poultry Center, Croatian Veterinary Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Klobucar A; Department of Epidemiology, Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Barbic L; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Sabadi D; Department of Infectious Diseases, Clinical Hospital Center Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia.; Medical Faculty, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia., Tomljenovic M; Department of Epidemiology, Primorje-Gorski Kotar Teaching Institute of Public Health, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.; Department of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia., Madic J; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Hruskar Z; Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Curman Posavec M; Department of Epidemiology, Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Santini M; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.; Department for Infections in Immunocompromised Patients, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases 'Dr. Fran Mihaljevic', 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Stevanovic V; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Petrinic S; Department of Epidemiology, Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Antolasic L; Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Milasincic L; Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia., Al-Mufleh M; Department of Infectious Diseases, County Hospital Cakovec, 40000 Cakovec, Croatia., Roncevic D; Department of Epidemiology, Primorje-Gorski Kotar Teaching Institute of Public Health, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia., Vilibic-Cavlek T; Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. |
| Abstrakt: |
(Re-)emerging arboviruses, such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Usutu virus (USUV), are continuously increasing in incidence. We analyzed the epidemiological characteristics of flavivirus infections in humans, sentinel animals, and mosquitoes detected in the 2022 transmission season in Croatia. From April to November 2022, 110 hospitalized patients with neuroinvasive diseases (NID) were tested for the presence of arboviruses. RT-qPCR was used to detect TBEV, WNV, and USUV RNA. An ELISA and virus neutralization tests were used for the detection of flavivirus antibodies. TBEV infection was confirmed in 22 patients with NID. WNV NID was detected in six patients. TBE showed male predominance (81.8%; male-to-female ratio of 4.5:1). All but one WNV patients were males. TBE occurred from April to August, with the majority of patients (83.3%) being detected during the May-June-July period. WNV infections were recorded in August and September. In addition to human cases, asymptomatic WNV infections (IgM positive) were reported in 10 horses. For the first time in Croatia, WNV NID was observed in one horse that presented with neurological symptoms. Furthermore, USUV was confirmed in one dead blackbird that presented with neurological symptoms. A total of 1984 mosquitoes were collected in the City of Zagreb. Two Ae. albopictus pools tested positive for flavivirus RNA: one collected in July (USUV) and the other collected in August (WNV). A phylogenetic analysis of detected human and avian strains confirmed WNV lineage 2 and the USUV Europe 2 lineage. The presented results confirm the endemic presence of neuroinvasive flaviviruses in continental Croatia. The continuous monitoring of virus circulation in humans, sentinel animals, and mosquitoes is needed to reduce the disease burden. |
