Mosquito surveillance of West Nile and Usutu viruses in four territorial units of Slovakia and description of a confirmed autochthonous human case of West Nile fever, 2018 to 2019
Autor: | Elena Tichá, Richard Stewart Bradbury, Bronislava Víchová, Zuzana Hurníková, Viktória Čabanová, Martina Miterpáková, Silvie Šikutová, Daniela Valentová, Tomáš Csank, Ivo Rudolf, Ľubomíra Grešáková, Gabriela Chovancová, Dana Zubriková |
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Rok vydání: | 2021 |
Předmět: |
0301 basic medicine
Slovakia Epidemiology West Nile virus viruses 030231 tropical medicine Zoology Survey result medicine.disease_cause Arbovirus West Nile 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Virology Culex pipiens medicine Animals Humans Usutu mosquitoes Surveillance biology Flavivirus Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health virus diseases biology.organism_classification medicine.disease nervous system diseases Europe Culex arbovirus Culicidae 030104 developmental biology Geography Vector surveillance Capital city Usutu virus West Nile Fever |
Zdroj: | Eurosurveillance |
ISSN: | 1560-7917 |
Popis: | Background Despite the known circulation of West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) in Slovakia, no formal entomological surveillance programme has been established there thus far. Aim To conduct contemporaneous surveillance of WNV and USUV in different areas of Slovakia and to assess the geographical spread of these viruses through mosquito vectors. The first autochthonous human WNV infection in the country is also described. Methods Mosquitoes were trapped in four Slovak territorial units in 2018 and 2019. Species were characterised morphologically and mosquito pools screened for WNV and USUV by real-time reverse-transcription PCRs. In pools with any of the two viruses detected, presence of pipiens complex group mosquitoes was verified using molecular approaches. Results Altogether, 421 pools containing in total 4,508 mosquitoes were screened. Three pools tested positive for WNV and 16 for USUV. USUV was more prevalent than WNV, with a broader spectrum of vectors and was detected over a longer period (June–October vs August for WNV). The main vectors of both viruses were Culex pipiens sensu lato. Importantly, WNV and USUV were identified in a highly urbanised area of Bratislava city, Slovakias’ capital city. Moreover, in early September 2019, a patient, who had been bitten by mosquitoes in south-western Slovakia and who had not travelled abroad, was laboratory-confirmed with WNV infection. Conclusion The entomological survey results and case report increase current understanding of the WNV and USUV situation in Slovakia. They underline the importance of vector surveillance to assess public health risks posed by these viruses. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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