Completeness of West Nile virus testing in patients with meningitis and encephalitis during an outbreak in Arizona, USA

2011 ◽  
Vol 140 (9) ◽  
pp. 1632-1636 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. B. WEBER ◽  
N. P. LINDSEY ◽  
A. M. BUNKO-PATTERSON ◽  
G. BRIGGS ◽  
T. J. WADLEIGH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Public Health Education ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
And Control ◽  
Virus Testing

SUMMARYAccurate data on West Nile virus (WNV) cases help guide public health education and control activities, and impact regional WNV blood product screening procedures. During an outbreak of WNV disease in Arizona, records from patients with meningitis or encephalitis were reviewed to determine the proportion tested for WNV. Of 60 patients identified with meningitis or encephalitis, 24 (40%) were tested for WNV. Only 12 (28%) of 43 patients aged <50 years were tested for WNV compared to 12 (71%) of 17 patients aged ⩾50 years (P<0·01). Patients with clinical signs of weakness or paralysis, elevated CSF protein, admitted to an inpatient facility, or discharged to a rehabilitation facility were also more likely to have WNV testing performed. The lack of testing in younger age groups and in those with less severe disease probably resulted in substantial underestimates of WNV neuroinvasive disease burden.

scholarly journals Hospital-based enhanced surveillance for West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease

2016 ◽  
Vol 144 (15) ◽  
pp. 3170-3175 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. P. LINDSEY ◽  
M. FISCHER ◽  
D. NEITZEL ◽  
E. SCHIFFMAN ◽  
M. L. SALAS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Public Health Education ◽  
Viral Meningitis ◽  
Immunoglobulin M ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
Optimal Tests ◽  
Attending Physician ◽  
And Control

SUMMARYAccurate data on the incidence of West Nile virus (WNV) disease are important for directing public health education and control activities. The objective of this project was to assess the underdiagnosis of WNV neuroinvasive disease through laboratory testing of patients with suspected viral meningitis or encephalitis at selected hospitals serving WNV-endemic regions in three states. Of the 279 patients with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens tested for WNV immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies, 258 (92%) were negative, 19 (7%) were positive, and two (1%) had equivocal results. Overall, 63% (12/19) of patients with WNV IgM-positive CSF had WNV IgM testing ordered by their attending physician. Seven (37%) cases would not have been identified as probable WNV infections without the further testing conducted through this project. These findings indicate that over a third of WNV infections in patients with clinically compatible neurological illness might be undiagnosed due to either lack of testing or inappropriate testing, leading to substantial underestimates of WNV neuroinvasive disease burden. Efforts should be made to educate healthcare providers and laboratorians about the local epidemiology of arboviral diseases and the optimal tests to be used in different clinical situations.

scholarly journals The challenge of West Nile virus in Europe: knowledge gaps and research priorities

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Rizzoli ◽  
M A Jiménez-Clavero ◽  
L Barzon ◽  
P Cordioli ◽  
J Figuerola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Genomic Diversity ◽  
The European Union ◽  
West Nile ◽  
High Genetic Diversity ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
Safety Regulations ◽  
Scientific Papers ◽  
And Control

West Nile virus (WNV) is continuously spreading across Europe, and other continents, i.e. North and South America and many other regions of the world. Despite the overall sporadic nature of outbreaks with cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) in Europe, the spillover events have increased and the virus has been introduced into new areas. The high genetic diversity of the virus, with remarkable phenotypic variation, and its endemic circulation in several countries, require an intensification of the integrated and multidisciplinary research efforts built under the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union (FP7). It is important to better clarify several aspects of WNV circulation in Europe, including its ecology, genomic diversity, pathogenicity, transmissibility, diagnosis and control options, under different environmental and socio-economic scenarios. Identifying WNV endemic as well as infection-free areas is becoming a need for the development of human vaccines and therapeutics and the application of blood and organs safety regulations. This review, produced as a joint initiative among European experts and based on analysis of 118 scientific papers published between 2004 and 2014, provides the state of knowledge on WNV and highlights the existing knowledge and research gaps that need to be addressed with high priority in Europe and neighbouring countries.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence and risk factors of West Nile virus infection in veterinarians and horses in Northern Palestine

2021 ◽  
pp. 1241-1245
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Alzuheir ◽  
Adnan Fayyad ◽  
Nasr Jalboush ◽  
Rosemary Abdallah ◽  
Sameeh Abutarbush ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Horse Serum ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
West Nile Fever ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
West Nile ◽  
And Control

Background and Aim: West Nile fever (WNF) is a neurotropic, mosquito-borne disease affecting humans and domesticated animals, caused by a member of the genus Flavivirus. Over the last decades, this virus has been responsible for several cases of illness in humans and animals. The current epidemiological status of WNF in horses is insufficient, and in veterinarians, as an occupational hazard is unknown. This study aimed to investigate and determine the seroprevalence and risk factors for WNF in veterinarians and horses in Palestine. Materials and Methods: In this study, serum samples from 100 veterinarians and 87 horses were collected between August 2020 and September 2020 from different cities of Northern Palestine. West Nile virus (WNV) antibodies were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Our results showed that 60.9% of the horse serum samples were positive in all investigated cities. In horses, location is a risk factor for the seropositivity for WNF, whereas age, sex, breed, and intended use of the horses, were not associated with increased WNF seropositivity. In veterinarians, 23.0% of the serum samples were positive. Positive samples were detected in all locations, age groups, experience length, and work sectors. However, the seropositivity for WNF was not influenced by these variables. Conclusion: The results revealed that WNV circulates in most regions of Palestine. Our results will help determine the risk of infection in animals and humans and control WNV transmission. Surveillance studies on humans, vectors, and animals are needed to better define endemic areas.

Malignant glial neuronal tumors after west nile virus neuroinvasive disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyx B Porter ◽  
Akanksha Sharma ◽  
Marie F Grill ◽  
Scott Spritzer ◽  
A Arturo Leis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
Neuronal Tumors

scholarly journals Animal and Human Vaccines against West Nile Virus

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1073
Author(s):  
Juan-Carlos Saiz
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Specific Therapy ◽  
Phase Iii Clinical Trials ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Status

West Nile virus (WNV) is a widely distributed enveloped flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes, which main hosts are birds. The virus sporadically infects equids and humans with serious economic and health consequences, as infected individuals can develop a severe neuroinvasive disease that can even lead to death. Nowadays, no WNV-specific therapy is available and vaccines are only licensed for use in horses but not for humans. While several methodologies for WNV vaccine development have been successfully applied and have contributed to significantly reducing its incidence in horses in the US, none have progressed to phase III clinical trials in humans. This review addresses the status of WNV vaccines for horses, birds, and humans, summarizing and discussing the challenges they face for their clinical advance and their introduction to the market.

scholarly journals Epidemiology of West Nile Virus Infections in Humans, Italy, 2012–2020: A Summary of Available Evidences

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Matteo Riccò ◽  
Simona Peruzzi ◽  
Federica Balzarini
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Invasive Disease ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Annual Incidence ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Po River ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Sex Risk

In Italy, human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection have been recorded since 2008, and seasonal outbreaks have occurred almost annually. In this study, we summarize available evidences on the epidemiology of WNV and West Nile neuro-invasive disease (WNND) in humans reported between 2012 and 2020. In total, 1145 WNV infection cases were diagnosed; of them 487 (42.5%) had WNND. A significant circulation of the pathogen was suggested by studies on blood donors, with annual incidence rates ranging from 1.353 (95% confidence intervals (95% CI) 0.279–3.953) to 19.069 cases per 100,000 specimens (95% CI 13.494–26.174). The annual incidence rates of WNND increased during the study period from 0.047 cases per 100,000 (95% CI 0.031–0.068) in 2012, to 0.074 cases per 100,000 (95% CI 0.054–0.099) in 2020, peaking to 0.377 cases per 100,000 (95% CI 0.330–0.429) in 2018. There were 60 deaths. Cases of WNND were clustered in Northern Italy, particularly in the Po River Valley, during the months of August (56.7%) and September (27.5%). Higher risk for WNND was reported in subjects of male sex (risk ratio (RR) 1.545, 95% CI 1.392–1.673 compared to females), and in older age groups (RR 24.46, 95% CI 15.61–38.32 for 65–74 y.o.; RR 43.7, 95% CI 28.33–67.41 for subjects older than 75 years), while main effectors were identified in average air temperatures (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.3219, 95% CI 1.0053–1.7383), population density (IRR 1.0004, 95% CI 1.0001–1.0008), and occurrence of cases in the nearby provinces (IRR 1.0442, 95% CI 1.0340–1.0545). In summary, an enhanced surveillance is vital for the early detection of human cases and the prompt implementation of response measures.

Pediatric West Nile Virus-Associated Neuroinvasive Disease: A Review of the Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 92 ◽  
pp. 16-25
Author(s):  
Rachelle Herring ◽  
Nilesh Desai ◽  
Mered Parnes ◽  
Imad Jarjour
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease
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