Import of West Nile Virus Infection in the Czech Republic

Abstract

We report West Nile virus infection of the central nervous system in a 69-year-old man, residing in North Moravia (Czech Republic), who visited the USA from 6 July to 31 August 2002. He developed fever with fatigue at the end of his US stay, and was hospitalized in Ostrava after his return on 3 September with fever (up to 39.5 degrees Celsius), fatigue, anorexia, moderate laryngotracheitis, dizziness, insomnia, blurred speech, and a marked bradypsychism. EEG demonstrated a slow bifrontal theta-delta activity, and CT of the brain a slight hydrocephalus. A significant increase of antibodies neutralizing West Nile virus was detected between the first (1:16) and second (1:256) blood serum sample. The patient recovered gradually and was released from hospital on 16 September. This is the first recorded human case of West Nile fever (WNF) imported to the Czech Republic. Nine similar cases of WNF import from the USA have already been reported in other European countries - France, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Mosquito-borne viruses in Europe

“…For instance, in 1984, Syria→Russia-one patient (WNV isolated); in 1998, Senegal→France-one patient (fever); in 2002, USA (Atlanta)→France-one patient; in 2002, USA (NY)→Czechland-one patient (with encephalitis; Hubálek et al 2006);in 2003, Israel→ Denmark-one patient (fever); and in 2003, Canada→ Denmark-one patient (encephalitis).…”

Importation of West Nile Virus Infection from Nicaragua to Spain

“…In the Americas, the fi rst cases were reported in New York City in 1999 (7), and the spread of WNV to large areas of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean was demonstrated in subsequent years. The case reported here also represents a new case of imported WNV infection in Europe and documents an imported case acquired in Central America (8)(9)(10) WNV infection in animals, mainly in birds and horses, has been documented in Mexico, the Caribbean, and areas of South America. Birds, in particular, have been implicated in spreading WNV during migratory events in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.…”

Zoonotic viral diseases and the frontier of early diagnosis, control and prevention

“…In the case of vector‐borne diseases, the westward spread of WNV across North America is a graphic example of a vector‐ecosystem shift causing seasonal spread and advance from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts of North America [76]. As WNV represents a new ‘emerging vector‐borne’ viral disease in North America, it is a re‐emerging disease in Europe [77].…”