PREDICTING THE FUTURE ECOLOGICAL NICHE OF $CULEX$ $PIPIENS$ AND ASSOCIATED BIORISKS IN ARMENIA

West Nile virus disease is an emerging infectious vector borne disease. Of registered invasive species of mosquitoes in Armenia, Culex pipiens is the most implicated one in the potential transmission of West Nile virus (WNV). In previous years (1985–1999), research on circulation of mosquito-borne arboviruses in Armenia was conducted by the research Institute of Epidemiology and WNV, Batai, Sindbis, Tahyna and Gheta were found in mosquitoes. The only mosquito-borne disease historically registered in Armenia was malaria, without autochtonous cases since 2006. However, per retrospective medical chart review study (2016–2019) in the Nork Infection Clinical Hospital, about 30% of febrile patients is diagnosed as “Fever of Unknown Origin”. We hypothesize that these arboviruses are circulating in Armenia and largely mis-diagnosed and/or under reported. Based on the geographical locations of mosquitoes, the MaxEnt model with 19 bioclimatic variables was developed to predict future ecological niche of C. pipiens and potential high-risk areas for West Nile virus disease. It is the first step for the implementation of a statistically rigorous system for real-time alert of biorisk.

Download Full-text

Faculty Opinions recommendation of Temperature, viral genetics, and the transmission of West Nile virus by Culex pipiens mosquitoes.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.1120278.576446 ◽

2008 ◽

Author(s):

Lyle Petersen

Keyword(s):

West Nile Virus ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

West Nile ◽

Viral Genetics

Download Full-text

Oviposition Activity Patterns and West Nile Virus Infection Rates for Members of the Culex pipiens Complex at Different Habitat Types within the Hybrid Zone, Shelby County, TN, 2002 (Diptera: Culicidae)

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1603/0022-2585(2006)43[1227:oapawn]2.0.co;2 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 43 (6) ◽

pp. 1227-1238 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Harry M. Savage ◽

Michael Anderson ◽

Emily Gordon ◽

Larry McMillen ◽

Leah Colton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Nile Virus ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Hybrid Zone ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

West Nile Virus Infection ◽

Infection Rates ◽

Habitat Types ◽

West Nile ◽

Shelby County

Download Full-text

Screening of Mosquitoes for West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus in Croatia, 2015–2020

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease ◽

10.3390/tropicalmed6020045 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 45

Author(s):

Ana Klobucar ◽

Vladimir Savic ◽

Marcela Curman Posavec ◽

Suncica Petrinic ◽

Urska Kuhar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Nile Virus ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

West Nile ◽

Usutu Virus ◽

Culex Pipiens Complex ◽

Mammalian Origin ◽

Mosquito Pool ◽

The City ◽

Generation Sequencing

In the period from 2015 to 2020, an entomological survey for the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) in mosquitoes was performed in northwestern Croatia. A total of 20,363 mosquitoes were sampled in the City of Zagreb and Međimurje county, grouped in 899 pools and tested by real-time RT-PCR for WNV and USUV RNA. All pools were negative for WNV while one pool each from 2016 (Aedes albopictus), 2017 (Culex pipiens complex), 2018 (Cx. pipiens complex), and 2019 (Cx. pipiens complex), respectively, was positive for USUV. The 2018 and 2019 positive pools shared 99.31% nucleotide homology within the USUV NS5 gene and both clustered within USUV Europe 2 lineage. The next-generation sequencing of one mosquito pool (Cx. pipiens complex) collected in 2018 in Zagreb confirmed the presence of USUV and revealed several dsDNA and ssRNA viruses of insect, bacterial and mammalian origin.

Download Full-text

1787. The Effects of a Systemwide Diagnostic Stewardship Change on West Nile Virus Disease Ordering Practices

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz360.1650 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S658-S658

Author(s):

Andrew H Karaba ◽

Paul W Blair ◽

Kevin M Martin ◽

Mustapha O Saheed ◽

Karen C Carroll ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Nile Virus ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Case Fatality ◽

Cost Savings ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Neurological Deficits ◽

West Nile ◽

Hospital System ◽

Elisa Testing ◽

Before And After

Abstract Background Neuroinvasive West Nile Virus (WNV) often leads to prolonged neurological deficits and carries a high case fatality rate. The CSF IgM (MAC-ELISA) is preferred over the CSF nucleic acid-based test (NAAT) by the CDC due to its higher sensitivity. However, our hospital system was observed to have an over-utilization of NAAT testing compared with MAC-ELISA testing. The primary objective was to compare the number of MAC-ELISA and NAAT WNV tests ordered before and after a diagnostic stewardship intervention. The secondary objectives were to determine whether this change to lead to any cost savings and increased detection of probable cases of WNV-ND. Methods In an effort to increase the use of the MAC-ELISA and to decrease unnecessary NAAT testing, the NAAT test was removed in April 2018 from the test menu in the electronic health record of a health system comprising five hospitals in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area. NAAT testing remained possible via a paper order form. This study was a retrospective review of WNV testing done on CSF samples from July 2016 through December 2018. The seasonal and yearly number of total tests, positive tests, and total costs were determined from the period of July, 2017 to April, 2018 and were compared with May, 2018 to January, 2019. A paired t-test was performed to evaluate for differences in total testing, total positives, and total costs during non-winter months before and after the intervention. Results A total of 12.59 MAC-ELISA tests/month (95% CI: 10.29, 14.89) increased to 41 tests/month (95% CI: 34.35, 47.65) which was significantly different (P < 0.001). In contrast, there were 46.23 NAAT tests/month (95% CI: 39.55, 52.91) which decreased to 0 NAAT tests/month after the intervention (P < 0.001). This resulted in an average decrease in WNV test spending from $7200 per month to $471 per month (P < 0.001). Preceding the intervention in test ordering, 0.23% of WNV CSF tests were positive (NAAT+MAC-ELISA) while 2.44% WNV CSF tests were positive after the intervention (P = 0.03). Conclusion Elimination of electronic WNV NAAT ordering is an effective way of decreasing inappropriate WNV NAAT testing, decreasing associated costs, and may lead to improved diagnosis of WNV-ND. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Download Full-text