Serological evidence of West Nile virus circulation in Portugal

Barros, Sílvia C.; Ramos, Fernanda; Fagulha, Teresa; Duarte, Margarida; Henriques, M. J.; Luís, Tiago; Fevereiro, Miguel

doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.05.013

Cited by 28 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Recent scientific reports of increasing flaviviruses activity during the last decade in the Mediterranean basin underline the importance of passive surveillance of horses in the European Union (e.g. Barros et al, 2011;Chaskopoulou et al, 2011;Garc ıa-Bocanegra et al, 2011a;Spissu et al, 2013). However, because of the antigenic similarities between flaviviruses like Usutu virus Japanese encephalitis virus among others, each clinical suspected case must be confirmed by the use of SNT reaction against WNV (Shi and Wong, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While overwintering mechanisms cannot be ruled out (Sotelo et al., ), modelling suggests that these mechanisms are not sufficient to explain the observed European WNF outbreaks (Durand et al., ). Regular European outbreaks of WNF in horses and/or humans have been reported in France [outbreaks in the Camargue region in 2000, 2003, 2004 (Murgue et al., ; Leblond et al., )], Romania [in 1996 and 2010, and several cases in 1997 and 1998 (Tsai et al., ; Cernescu et al., ; Rabel et al., )], Italy [in 1998 and 2008–2009 (Cantile et al., ; Calistri et al., ; Monaco et al., )], Russia [in 1999 and 2010 (Platonov et al., ; Rabel et al., )], Hungary [in 2008 and 2010 (Kutasi et al., ; Rabel et al., )], several cases since 1997 in the Czech Republic (Rabel et al., ), Greece [in 2010 and 2012 (Anonymous, ; Rabel et al., ; Cnops et al., )], Spain [in 2010, 2011, 2012 (García‐Bocanegra et al., ; Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, )], and some cases of WNF have been reported in Portugal (Barros et al., ). In addition, although in absence of disease, increased titres of antibodies have been encountered from human intravenous plasma preparations in Germany and Austria (Rabel et al., ), and seropositive horses have been recently identified in Croatia (Madic et al., ; Barbić et al., ) and Serbia (Lupulovic et al., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Clinical Sentinel Surveillance of Equine West Nile Fever, Spain

Saegerman

Alba-Casals

García‐Bocanegra

et al. 2014

Transbound Emerg Dis

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West Nile fever (WNF) is a viral zoonotic infection caused by a mosquito-borne flavivirus of the Flaviviridae family. According to a comparative study, the passive surveillance of horses by equine veterinarians appeared to be the most cost-effective system in the European context of WNF. Clinical data issued from a passive epidemiosurveillance network from September 2010 to December 2011 on horses in Spain were statistically compared and used to develop a predictive diagnostic decision tree, both with the aim to improve the early clinical detection of WNF in horses. Although clinical signs were variable in horses affected by WNF, four clinical signs and the month of occurrence were identified as useful indicators to distinguish between WNF-related and WNF-unrelated cases. The signs that pointed out a presumptive diagnosis of WNF in horses were cranial nerves deficits, limb paralysis, photophobia and nasal discharge. Clinical examination of horses with neurological signs that are not vaccinated against WNV could provide important clues for the early clinical detection of WNF and therefore serve as an alert for possible human viral infections. The study of the clinical pattern of WNF in horses is of importance to enhance awareness and better understanding and to optimize surveillance designs for clinical detection of WNF in horses in advance of epidemic activity affecting humans.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Sentinel Surveillance of Equine West Nile Fever, Spain

Saegerman

Alba-Casals

García‐Bocanegra

et al. 2014

Transbound Emerg Dis

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“…In Italy, the virus reappeared in association with human cases of neurological disease in 2008 [11,12]. In addition, different seropositivity rates have been reported for horses, humans and birds in Spain [13,14] and Portugal [15,16], with the first clinical cases of WNV-related disease being reported in Spain for horses and humans in 2010 [17]. Evidence of WNV circulation among birds has been reported in the UK since 2003, and in 2006 the use of sentinel chickens corroborated the epidemiological data about WNV in the UK by demonstrating actual seroconversion [18,19].…”

Section: Epidemiology Of Wnv In Eu Member Countries and Neighbouring mentioning

confidence: 99%

West Nile virus in Europe: emergence, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention

Sambri

Capobianchi²,

Charrel

et al. 2013

Clinical Microbiology and Infection

163

130

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West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus in the Japanese encephalitis antigenic group, has caused sporadic outbreaks in humans, horses and birds throughout many of the warmer regions of Europe for at least 20 years. Occasional cases of West Nile encephalitis have also been associated with infected blood transfusions and organ donations. Currently, WNV appears to be expanding its geographical range in Europe and causing increasing numbers of epidemics/outbreaks associated with human morbidity and mortality. This brief review reports on the current epidemic situation regarding WNV in Europe, highlighting the clinical, diagnostic and preventive measures available for controlling this apparently emerging human pathogen.

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“…In some instances in Europe, equine cases have been observed without substantial human disease being reported, such as in Tuscany, Italy (1998) (Autorino et al, 2002) and Camargue (Pantheir et al, 1966), France (2000); however, in North America equine and human cases have demonstrated similar incidence patterns, both before and after widespread vaccination of horses (Ward and Scheurmann, 2008). Since 2010, WNV infections among horses repeatedly were reported in the Mediterranean basin and other European countries, namely in Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Morocco, Portugal, Romania and Spain (Barros et al, 2011; Garcia-Bocanegra et al, 2011; OIE, 2012). The aforementioned WNV equine epizootics before 2007 were associated with lineage 1 viruses.…”

Section: Epidemiology In Horsesmentioning

confidence: 99%

West Nile viral infection of equids

Angenvoort¹,

Brault²,

Bowen³

et al. 2013

Veterinary Microbiology

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West Nile virus (WNV) is a flavivirus transmitted between certain species of birds and mosquito vectors. Tangential infections of equids and subsequent equine epizootics have occurred historically. Although the attack rate has been estimated to be below 10%, mortality rates can approach 50% in horses that present clinical disease. Symptoms are most commonly presenting in the form of encephalitis with ataxia as well as limb weakness, recumbency and muscle fasciculation. The most effective strategy for prevention of equine disease is proper vaccination with one of the numerous commercially available vaccines available in North America or the European Union. Recently, WNV has been increasingly associated with equine epizootics resulting from novel non-lineage-1a viruses in expanding geographic areas. However, specific experimental data on the virulence of these novel virus strains is lacking and questions remain as to the etiology of the expanded epizootics: whether it be a function of inherent virulence or ecological and/or climactic factors that could precipitate the altered epidemiological patterns observed.

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Serological evidence of West Nile virus circulation in Portugal

Cited by 28 publications

References 13 publications

Clinical Sentinel Surveillance of Equine West Nile Fever, Spain

Clinical Sentinel Surveillance of Equine West Nile Fever, Spain

West Nile virus in Europe: emergence, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention

West Nile viral infection of equids

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