The Natural History of West Nile Fever

Goldblum, Natan; Sterk, Velimir V.; Jasinska-Klingberg, Wanda

doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a119908

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…The risk for development of clinical disease in humans, even following infection, is quite low 36 . Epidemiologic investigations in Romania and the United States indicate that fewer than 1% of those infected with WNV develop encephalitis or meningitis, and approximately one‐third develop a mild febrile illness; the remainder are asymptomatic 37–39 …”

Section: Wnv Fever and Wnv Infectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The transient viremia after infection 39–41 and the high proportion of asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infections raise concern about the potential for transfusion‐related WNV transmission 42 . There is apparently a real, although very minimal, risk of acquisition of WNV via blood or blood‐product transfusion or solid organ transplantation, particularly in immunocompromised patients.…”

Section: Wnv Fever and Wnv Infectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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West Nile virus: lessons from the 21st century

Wilkins

Piero

2004

J Vet Emergen Crit Care

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Introduction: West Nile virus (WNV) first appeared in the United States in 1999, causing illness and death in birds, horses, and humans. While the initial outbreak of this sometimes deadly viral disease was limited to the northeastern United States, the virus had an inexorable migration across the continental United States over the next 3 years, causing huge losses among the affected species. The purpose of this review is to present currently available information regarding the epi‐demiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of WNV infection. Veterinarians, particularly those in an emergency practice, serve as an important source of reliable information regarding this disease for animal owners and the public in general. Data sources: Data sources used for the preparation of this review include computer‐based searches of PubMed and Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux (CAB) abstracts. A search in PubMed using ‘West Nile’ retrieved 1468 ‘hits’ or references, while a similar search in CAB abstracts produced 815 references. Additional information was obtained from various meeting proceedings, particularly data presented in abstract form, and from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website dedicated to WNV. Human data synthesis: Prior to the mid‐1990s, reported large‐scale epidemics of WNV infection in humans predominantly presented as acute, mild, febrile disease, sometimes associated with lymphadenopathy and skin rash. The recent large epidemic in the United States, in contrast, has prominently featured encephalitis, particularly among the elderly. Additionally, polio‐encephalomyelitis‐like complications resulting in long‐term neurologic sequelae have been reported. There are many WNV‐permissive native avian and mosquito hosts in the Unites States and there appear to be few limitations to the spread of the disease in the United States. It is expected that the virus will be identified in all 48 continental states, Mexico, and Canada by the end of 2003. Veterinary data synthesis: The horse is the animal species most affected by the recent WNV epidemic in the United States, and losses to the equine industry have been large and unprecedented. A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)‐approved vaccine against WNV has been in use in horses since 2001 and appears to be effective in limiting the incidence of disease in well‐vaccinated populations. WNV infection has been documented in other species of mammals, including camelids (alpaca/llamas) and dogs, and veterinarians should include WNV as a differential diagnosis for animals presenting with clinical signs consistent with central nervous system infection. A large concern exists for endangered bird populations, particularly birds of prey, whether in zoos or in the wild.

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Section: Wnv Fever and Wnv Infectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Wnv Fever and Wnv Infectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

West Nile virus: lessons from the 21st century

Wilkins

Piero

2004

J Vet Emergen Crit Care

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“…Humans were the first vertebrate hosts recognized to become infected with WN virus by virus isolations obtained from blood as well as the presence of WN neutralizing antibody in blood 1,2,31. Subsequent studies in Israel, however, suggested that humans naturally infected with WN virus usually do not circulate high enough titers of virus in their blood to efficiently infect mosquito vectors 32. By contrast, experimental infection studies conducted on advanced cancer patients in New York City showed that titers of WN virus in the blood high enough to theoretically infect mosquitoes could occur 33.…”

Section: The Hostmentioning

confidence: 99%

West Nile Virus: Uganda, 1937, to New York City, 1999

Hayes

2001

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

174

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West Nile virus, first isolated in 1937, is among the earliest arthropod‐borne viruses discovered by humans. Its broad geographical distribution, not uncommon infection of humans, transmission by mosquitoes, and association with wild birds as enzootic hosts were well documented by the mid‐1960s. However, West Nile virus was not considered to be a significant human pathogen because most infections appeared to result in asymptomatic or only mild febrile disease. Several epidemics had been documented prior to 1996, some involving hundreds to thousands of cases in mostly rural populations, but only a few cases of severe neurological disease had been reported. The occurrence between 1996 and 1999 of three major epidemics, in southern Romania, the Volga delta in southern Russia, and the northeastern United States, involving hundreds of cases of severe neurological disease and fatal infections was totally unexpected. These were the first epidemics reported in large urban populations. A significant factor that appeared in common to all three outbreaks was the apparent involvement of the common house mosquito, Culex pipiens, as a vector. This species had not previously been implicated as important in the transmission of West Nile virus. In addition the epidemic in the northeastern United States was unusual in the association of West Nile virus infection with fatal disease of birds, suggesting a change in the virulence of the virus toward this host. Understanding the risk factors that contributed to these three urban epidemics is important for minimizing the potential for future occurrences. This review will attempt to compare observations on the biology of West Nile virus made over about 60 years prior to the recent epidemics to observations made in association with these urban epidemics.

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“…Small outbreaks of WNF have been documented in Israel since the early 1950s, peaking with an epidemic involving 419 hospitalized cases and four deaths (Bernkopf et al , 1953; Marburg et al , 1956; Goldblum et al , 1957). In the following decades WNV has remained both enzootic and endemic in the country (Goldblum et al , 1957; Katz et al , 1989; Malkinson & Banet, 2002; Cohen et al , 1999). In the summer of 2000, a large‐scale epidemic of WNF occurred in Israel; 417 human cases were confirmed, including 326 hospitalizations and 33 deaths (Chowers et al , 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insecticide‐treated vertical mesh barriers reduce the number of biting mosquitoes

Faiman

Warburg

2011

Medical Vet Entomology

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Mosquitoes foraging for blood sources normally fly relatively close to the ground where wind velocities do not exceed their flight speed. An experiment designed to block foraging mosquitoes from reaching inhabited houses was conducted in a rural settlement flanked by agricultural fields. Mosquitoes were collected during 9 nights using 30 carbon dioxide-baited traps deployed along the external walls of six houses in the row closest to the settlement's perimeter fence. Thereafter, a deltamethrin-impregnated mesh was draped along 400 m of the perimeter fence to a height of 2 m opposite three of the monitored houses. Mosquitoes were trapped for a further 11 nights. A significant difference in the numbers of mosquitoes caught before and after the intervention was demonstrated near protected houses, whereas no significant difference was observed in catches near control houses. The percentage of Culex perexiguus (Diptera: Culicidae), an important vector of West Nile virus, was significantly lower near protected houses (13%) than around control houses (45%). By contrast, the percentage of Culex pipiens was not significantly affected (16% at experimental and 18% at control houses). Although the results presented here are preliminary, the data demonstrate the potential efficacy of vertical insecticidal barriers for mosquito control.

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The Natural History of West Nile Fever

Cited by 13 publications

References 0 publications

West Nile virus: lessons from the 21st century

West Nile virus: lessons from the 21st century

West Nile Virus: Uganda, 1937, to New York City, 1999

Insecticide‐treated vertical mesh barriers reduce the number of biting mosquitoes

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