A One Health view of the West Nile virus outbreak in Andalusia (Spain) in 2020.
Abstract: Reports of West Nile virus (WNV) associated disease in humans were scarce in Spain until summer 2020, when 77 cases were reported, eight fatal. Most cases occurred next to the Guadalquivir River in the Sevillian villages of Puebla del Río and Coria del Río. Detection of WNV disease in humans was preceded by a large increase in the abundance of in the neighbourhood of the villages where most human cases occurred. The first WNV infected mosquitoes were captured approximately one month before the detection of the first human cases. Overall, 33 positive pools of and one pool of were found. Serology of wild birds confirmed WNV circulation inside the affected villages, that transmission to humans also occurred in urban settings and suggests that virus circulation was geographically more widespread than disease cases in humans or horses may indicate. A high prevalence of antibodies was detected in blackbirds () suggesting that this species played an important role in the amplification of WNV in urban areas. was the main vector of WNV among birds in natural and agricultural areas, while its role in urban areas needs to be investigated in more detail. may have played some role as bridge vector of WNV between birds and humans once the enzootic transmission cycle driven by occurred inside the villages. Surveillance of virus in mosquitoes has the potential to detect WNV well in advance of the first human cases.
Publication Date: 2022-10-11 PubMed ID: 36214518PubMed Central: PMC9621199DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2134055Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This study analyzes the outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) disease in Andalusia, Spain in 2020, noting a surge in human cases relating to increased interaction with mosquitoes, particularly in urban areas close to the Guadalquivir River. Insights suggest that advanced surveillance of mosquitoes may catch outbreaks before human cases appear.
Research Context
- The study was motivated by a sharp rise in human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease in the summer of 2020 in Spain, primarily in the Sevillian villages of Puebla del Río and Coria del Río located near the Guadalquivir River. Previously, reports of the disease in humans were infrequent in Spain.
Methodology and Findings
- The researchers observed an outcry in abundance of mosquitoes around the villages where major human cases appeared. This increase was noticed about a month prior to the discovery of the first human cases.
- Through their investigation, they detected WNV in 33 positive pools of mosquitoes and one additional mosquito pool. This highlights the role of these insects in transmitting the disease.
- The researchers conducted serology tests on wild birds and confirmed that WNV was circulating within the affected villages. This indicates that there was transmission to humans in urban environments and that the virus may have been more geographically widespread than originally suspected based on human or horse disease cases.
- The high prevalence of antibodies in blackbirds suggests that this species significantly contributed to the amplification of WNV in urban areas.
- The research suggests that while one type of mosquito species played a central role in transmitting WNV among birds in natural and agricultural regions, its function in urban territories needs to be scrutinized more meticulously. Another species of mosquito might have played a role as a bridge vector of WNV transmission between birds and humans.
Implications and Conclusion
- The findings urge further detailed investigations into the role of different mosquito species in transmitting the WNV, especially within urban landscapes.
- Findings suggest there may be potential benefit in surveilling virus presence in mosquitoes to detect an outbreak of WNV disease before it is identifiable in humans.
Cite This Article
APA
Figuerola J, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Ruíz-López MJ, Llorente F, Ruiz S, Hoefer A, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Jiménez-Peñuela J, García-Ruiz O, Herrero L, Soriguer RC, Fernández Delgado R, Sánchez-Seco MP, Martínez-de la Puente J, Vázquez A.
(2022).
A One Health view of the West Nile virus outbreak in Andalusia (Spain) in 2020.
Emerg Microbes Infect, 11(1), 2570-2578.
https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2022.2134055 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Estación Biológica de Doñana - CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, Valdeolmos, Spain.
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Estación Biológica de Doñana - CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, Valdeolmos, Spain.
- Servicio de Control de Mosquitos de la Diputación Provincial de Huelva, Ctra. Hospital Infanta Elena, Huelva, Spain.
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain.
- European Public Health Microbiology Training Programme (EUPHEM), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Stockholm, Sweden.
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, Valdeolmos, Spain.
- Estación Biológica de Doñana - CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.
- Estación Biológica de Doñana - CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain.
- Estación Biológica de Doñana - CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, Valdeolmos, Spain.
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain.
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain.
- Departamento de Parasitología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain.
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Humans
- Horses
- West Nile virus / genetics
- One Health
- Spain / epidemiology
- Mosquito Vectors
- West Nile Fever / epidemiology
- West Nile Fever / veterinary
- Culex
- Culicidae
- Disease Outbreaks
- Birds
Conflict of Interest Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
References
This article includes 54 references
- World Health Organization. Global vector control response 2017–2030. Geneva; 2017.
- Jones KE, Patel NG, Levy MA, Storeygard A, Balk D, Gittleman JL, Daszak P. Global trends in emerging infectious diseases.. Nature 2008 Feb 21;451(7181):990-3.
- Chancey C, Grinev A, Volkova E, Rios M. The global ecology and epidemiology of West Nile virus.. Biomed Res Int 2015;2015:376230.
- Beck C, Jimenez-Clavero MA, Leblond A, Durand B, Nowotny N, Leparc-Goffart I, Zientara S, Jourdain E, Lecollinet S. Flaviviruses in Europe: complex circulation patterns and their consequences for the diagnosis and control of West Nile disease.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013 Nov 12;10(11):6049-83.
- Pérez-Ramírez E, Llorente F, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ. Experimental infections of wild birds with West Nile virus.. Viruses 2014 Feb 13;6(2):752-81.
- Kilpatrick AM, Daszak P, Jones MJ, Marra PP, Kramer LD. Host heterogeneity dominates West Nile virus transmission.. Proc Biol Sci 2006 Sep 22;273(1599):2327-33.
- Engler O, Savini G, Papa A, Figuerola J, Groschup MH, Kampen H, Medlock J, Vaux A, Wilson AJ, Werner D, Jöst H, Goffredo M, Capelli G, Federici V, Tonolla M, Patocchi N, Flacio E, Portmann J, Rossi-Pedruzzi A, Mourelatos S, Ruiz S, Vázquez A, Calzolari M, Bonilauri P, Dottori M, Schaffner F, Mathis A, Johnson N. European surveillance for West Nile virus in mosquito populations.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013 Oct 11;10(10):4869-95.
- Petersen LR, Brault AC, Nasci RS. West Nile virus: review of the literature.. JAMA 2013 Jul 17;310(3):308-15.
- McLean RG, Ubico SR, Bourne D, Komar N. West Nile virus in livestock and wildlife.. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2002;267:271-308.
- Muñoz J, Ruiz S, Soriguer R, Alcaide M, Viana DS, Roiz D, Vázquez A, Figuerola J. Feeding patterns of potential West Nile virus vectors in south-west Spain.. PLoS One 2012;7(6):e39549.
- Rizzoli A, Jimenez-Clavero MA, Barzon L, Cordioli P, Figuerola J, Koraka P, Martina B, Moreno A, Nowotny N, Pardigon N, Sanders N, Ulbert S, Tenorio A. The challenge of West Nile virus in Europe: knowledge gaps and research priorities.. Euro Surveill 2015 May 21;20(20).
- Vazquez A, Sanchez-Seco MP, Ruiz S, Molero F, Hernandez L, Moreno J, Magallanes A, Tejedor CG, Tenorio A. Putative new lineage of west nile virus, Spain.. Emerg Infect Dis 2010 Mar;16(3):549-52.
- Vázquez A, Ruiz S, Herrero L, Moreno J, Molero F, Magallanes A, Sánchez-Seco MP, Figuerola J, Tenorio A. West Nile and Usutu viruses in mosquitoes in Spain, 2008-2009.. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011 Jul;85(1):178-81.
- Figuerola J, Jiménez-Clavero MA, López G, Rubio C, Soriguer R, Gómez-Tejedor C, Tenorio A. Size matters: West Nile Virus neutralizing antibodies in resident and migratory birds in Spain.. Vet Microbiol 2008 Nov 25;132(1-2):39-46.
- Ferraguti M, LA Puente JM, Soriguer R, Llorente F, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Figuerola J. West Nile virus-neutralizing antibodies in wild birds from southern Spain.. Epidemiol Infect 2016 Jul;144(9):1907-11.
- López G, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Vázquez A, Soriguer R, Gómez-Tejedor C, Tenorio A, Figuerola J. Incidence of West Nile virus in birds arriving in wildlife rehabilitation centers in southern Spain.. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2011 Mar;11(3):285-90.
- Bravo-Barriga D, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Guerrero-Carvajal F, Llorente F, Reina D, Pérez-Martín JE, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Frontera E. West Nile and Usutu virus infections in wild birds admitted to rehabilitation centres in Extremadura, western Spain, 2017-2019.. Vet Microbiol 2021 Apr;255:109020.
- Jiménez-Clavero MA, Llorente F, Sotelo E, Soriguer R, Gómez-Tejedor C, Figuerola J. West Nile virus serosurveillance in horses in Donana, Spain, 2005 to 2008.. Vet Rec 2010 Sep 4;167(10):379-80.
- Guerrero-Carvajal F, Bravo-Barriga D, Martín-Cuervo M, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Ferraguti M, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Llorente F, Alonso JM, Frontera E. Serological evidence of co-circulation of West Nile and Usutu viruses in equids from western Spain.. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021 May;68(3):1432-1444.
- Napp S, Llorente F, Beck C, Jose-Cunilleras E, Soler M, Pailler-García L, Amaral R, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Pifarré M, Molina-López R, Obón E, Nicolás O, Lecollinet S, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Busquets N. Widespread Circulation of Flaviviruses in Horses and Birds in Northeastern Spain (Catalonia) between 2010 and 2019.. Viruses 2021 Nov 30;13(12).
- Jiménez-Clavero MA, Sotelo E, Fernandez-Pinero J, Llorente F, Blanco JM, Rodriguez-Ramos J, Perez-Ramirez E, Höfle U. West Nile virus in golden eagles, Spain, 2007.. Emerg Infect Dis 2008 Sep;14(9):1489-91.
- García-Bocanegra I, Belkhiria J, Napp S, Cano-Terriza D, Jiménez-Ruiz S, Martínez-López B. Epidemiology and spatio-temporal analysis of West Nile virus in horses in Spain between 2010 and 2016.. Transbound Emerg Dis 2018 Apr;65(2):567-577.
- García San Miguel Rodríguez-Alarcón L, Fernández-Martínez B, Sierra Moros MJ, Vázquez A, Julián Pachés P, García Villacieros E, Gómez Martín MB, Figuerola Borras J, Lorusso N, Ramos Aceitero JM, Moro E, de Celis A, Oyonarte S, Mahillo B, Romero González LJ, Sánchez-Seco MP, Suárez Rodríguez B, Ameyugo Catalán U, Ruiz Contreras S, Pérez-Olmeda M, Simón Soria F. Unprecedented increase of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease, Spain, summer 2020.. Euro Surveill 2021 May;26(19).
- Bernabeu-Wittel M, Ruiz-Pérez M, del Toro MD, Aznar J, Muniain A, de Ory F, Domingo C, Pachón J. West Nile virus past infections in the general population of Southern Spain.. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2007 Nov;25(9):561-5.
- Kaptoul D, Viladrich PF, Domingo C, Niubó J, Martínez-Yélamos S, De Ory F, Tenorio A. West Nile virus in Spain: report of the first diagnosed case (in Spain) in a human with aseptic meningitis.. Scand J Infect Dis 2007;39(1):70-1.
- García-Bocanegra I, Jaén-Téllez JA, Napp S, Arenas-Montes A, Fernández-Morente M, Fernández-Molera V, Arenas A. West Nile fever outbreak in horses and humans, Spain, 2010.. Emerg Infect Dis 2011 Dec;17(12):2397-9.
- Camp JV, Nowotny N. The knowns and unknowns of West Nile virus in Europe: what did we learn from the 2018 outbreak?. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2020 Feb;18(2):145-154.
- Roiz D, Vázquez A, Ruiz S, Tenorio A, Soriguer R, Figuerola J. Evidence that Passerine Birds Act as Amplifying Hosts for Usutu Virus Circulation.. Ecohealth 2019 Dec;16(4):734-742.
- Gunay F, Picard M, Robert V. MosKeyTool, an interactive identification key for mosquitoes of Euro-Mediterranean. Version 2.1. 2018.
- Harbach RE. The identity of Culex perexiguus Theobald versus Cx. univittatus Theobald in southern Europe. Eur Mosq Bull 1999;4:7.
- Vázquez A, Herrero L, Negredo A, Hernández L, Sánchez-Seco MP, Tenorio A. Real time PCR assay for detection of all known lineages of West Nile virus.. J Virol Methods 2016 Oct;236:266-270.
- Sánchez-Seco MP, Rosario D, Domingo C, Hernández L, Valdés K, Guzmán MG, Tenorio A. Generic RT-nested-PCR for detection of flaviviruses using degenerated primers and internal control followed by sequencing for specific identification.. J Virol Methods 2005 Jun;126(1-2):101-9.
- McLure A, O’Neill B, Mayfield H. Pooltestr: an R package for estimating prevalence and regression modelling for molecular xenomonitoring and other applications with pooled samples. Environ Model Softw 2021;145:105158.
- Svensson L. Identification guide to European passerines. Tring: BTO; 1992.
- Sotelo E, Llorente F, Rebollo B, Camuñas A, Venteo A, Gallardo C, Lubisi A, Rodríguez MJ, Sanz AJ, Figuerola J, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ. Development and evaluation of a new epitope-blocking ELISA for universal detection of antibodies to West Nile virus.. J Virol Methods 2011 Jun;174(1-2):35-41.
- Llorente F, García-Irazábal A, Pérez-Ramírez E, Cano-Gómez C, Sarasa M, Vázquez A, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ. Influence of flavivirus co-circulation in serological diagnostics and surveillance: A model of study using West Nile, Usutu and Bagaza viruses.. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019 Sep;66(5):2100-2106.
- Llorente F, Pérez-Ramírez E, Fernández-Pinero J, Soriguer R, Figuerola J, Jiménez-Clavero MA. Flaviviruses in game birds, southern Spain, 2011-2012.. Emerg Infect Dis 2013 Jun;19(6):1023-5.
- Junta de Andalucia. Programa de vigilancia y control integral de vectores de la fiebre del Nilo Occidental (FNO). Marzo de 2021.
- Lislevand T, Figuerola J, Szekely T. Avian body sizes in relation to fecundity, mating system, display behavior, and resource sharing. Ecology 2007;88:1605.
- Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Pineda-Pampliega J, Thomson RL, Aguirre JI, Díez-Fernández A, Faivre B, Figuerola J, Verhulst S. Urban blackbirds have shorter telomeres.. Biol Lett 2018 Mar;14(3).
- Rizzoli A, Bolzoni L, Chadwick EA, Capelli G, Montarsi F, Grisenti M, de la Puente JM, Muñoz J, Figuerola J, Soriguer R, Anfora G, Di Luca M, Rosà R. Understanding West Nile virus ecology in Europe: Culex pipiens host feeding preference in a hotspot of virus emergence.. Parasit Vectors 2015 Apr 9;8:213.
- Jourdain E, Gauthier-Clerc M, Sabatier P, Grège O, Greenland T, Leblond A, Lafaye M, Zeller HG. Magpies as hosts for West Nile virus, southern France.. Emerg Infect Dis 2008 Jan;14(1):158-60.
- Napp S, Montalvo T, Piñol-Baena C, Gómez-Martín MB, Nicolás-Francisco O, Soler M, Busquets N. Usefulness of Eurasian Magpies (Pica pica) for West Nile virus Surveillance in Non-Endemic and Endemic Situations.. Viruses 2019 Aug 5;11(8).
- Molina B, Nebreda A, Muñoz AR. III Atlas de las aves en época de reproducción en España. SEO/BirdLife: Madrid; 2022.
- Martínez-de la Puente J, Ferraguti M, Ruiz S, Roiz D, Llorente F, Pérez-Ramírez E, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Soriguer R, Figuerola J. Mosquito community influences West Nile virus seroprevalence in wild birds: implications for the risk of spillover into human populations.. Sci Rep 2018 Feb 8;8(1):2599.
- Ferraguti M, Heesterbeek H, Martínez-de la Puente J, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Vázquez A, Ruiz S, Llorente F, Roiz D, Vernooij H, Soriguer R, Figuerola J. The role of different Culex mosquito species in the transmission of West Nile virus and avian malaria parasites in Mediterranean areas.. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021 Mar;68(2):920-930.
- Roiz D, Ruiz S, Soriguer R, Figuerola J. Landscape Effects on the Presence, Abundance and Diversity of Mosquitoes in Mediterranean Wetlands.. PLoS One 2015;10(6):e0128112.
- Lokimica. Diagnóstico de situación de las poblaciónes de culícidos de los términos municipals de Puebla del Río y Coria del Ría. 2020.
- Roiz D, Ruiz S, Soriguer R, Figuerola J. Climatic effects on mosquito abundance in Mediterranean wetlands.. Parasit Vectors 2014 Jul 16;7:333.
- Marini G, Manica M, Delucchi L, Pugliese A, Rosà R. Spring temperature shapes West Nile virus transmission in Europe.. Acta Trop 2021 Mar;215:105796.
- Casimiro-Soriguer CS, Perez-Florido J, Fernandez-Rueda JL, Pedrosa-Corral I, Guillot-Sulay V, Lorusso N, Martinez-Gonzalez LJ, Navarro-Marí JM, Dopazo J, Sanbonmatsu-Gámez S. Phylogenetic Analysis of the 2020 West Nile Virus (WNV) Outbreak in Andalusia (Spain).. Viruses 2021 May 5;13(5).
- Rizzo C, Napoli C, Venturi G, Pupella S, Lombardini L, Calistri P, Monaco F, Cagarelli R, Angelini P, Bellini R, Tamba M, Piatti A, Russo F, Palù G, Chiari M, Lavazza A, Bella A. West Nile virus transmission: results from the integrated surveillance system in Italy, 2008 to 2015.. Euro Surveill 2016 Sep 15;21(37).
- DeFelice NB, Little E, Campbell SR, Shaman J. Ensemble forecast of human West Nile virus cases and mosquito infection rates.. Nat Commun 2017 Feb 24;8:14592.
- Junta de Andalucía. Fiebre del Nilo Occidental of Encefalitis del Oeste del Nilo o West Nile virus. [cited 2022 Sept 19].
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Körsten C, Vasić A, Al-Hosary AA, Tews BA, Răileanu C, Silaghi C, Schäfer M. Excretion Dynamics of Arboviruses in Mosquitoes and the Potential Use in Vector Competence Studies and Arbovirus Surveillance.. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023 Aug 11;8(8).
- Llorente F, Gutiérrez-López R, Pérez-Ramirez E, Sánchez-Seco MP, Herrero L, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Vázquez A. Experimental infections in red-legged partridges reveal differences in host competence between West Nile and Usutu virus strains from Southern Spain.. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023;13:1163467.
- Ruiz-López MJ, Muñoz-Chimeno M, Figuerola J, Gavilán AM, Varona S, Cuesta I, Martínez-de la Puente J, Zaballos Á, Molero F, Soriguer RC, Sánchez-Seco MP, Ruiz S, Vázquez A. Genomic Analysis of West Nile Virus Lineage 1 Detected in Mosquitoes during the 2020-2021 Outbreaks in Andalusia, Spain.. Viruses 2023 Jan 17;15(2).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists