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Home / Equine Research Bank / Transbound Emerg Dis / Epidemiology and spatio-temporal analysis of West Nile virus...
Transboundary and emerging diseases2017; 65(2); 567-577; doi: 10.1111/tbed.12742

Epidemiology and spatio-temporal analysis of West Nile virus in horses in Spain between 2010 and 2016.

Abstract: During the last decade, West Nile virus (WNV) outbreaks have increased sharply in both horses and human in Europe. The aims of this study were to evaluate characteristics and spatio-temporal distribution of WNV outbreaks in horses in Spain between 2010 and 2016 in order to identify the environmental variables most associated with WNV occurrence and to generate high-resolution WNV suitability maps to inform risk-based surveillance strategies in this country. Between August 2010 and November 2016, a total of 403 WNV suspected cases were investigated, of which, 177 (43.9%) were laboratory confirmed. Mean values of morbidity, mortality and case fatality rates were 7.5%, 1.6% and 21.2%, respectively. The most common clinical symptoms were as follows: tiredness/apathy, recumbency, muscular tremor, ataxia, incoordination and hyperaesthesia. The outbreaks confirmed during the last 7 years, with detection of WNV RNA lineage 1 in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016, suggest an endemic circulation of the virus in Spain. The spatio-temporal distribution of WNV outbreaks in Spain was not homogeneous, as most of them (92.7%) were concentrated in western part of Andalusia (southern Spain) and significant clusters were detected in this region in two non-consecutive years. These findings were supported by the results of the space-time scan statistics permutation model. A presence-only MaxEnt ecological niche model was used to generate a suitability map for WNV occurrence in Andalusia. The most important predictors selected by the Ecological Niche Modeling were as follows: mean annual temperature (49.5% contribution), presence of Culex pipiens (19.5% contribution), mean annual precipitation (16.1% contribution) and distance to Ramsar wetlands (14.9% contribution). Our results constitute an important step for understanding WNV emergence and spread in Spain and will provide valuable information for the development of more cost-effective surveillance and control programmes and improve the protection of horse and human populations in WNV-endemic areas.
© 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
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Publication Date: 2017-10-16 PubMed ID: 29034611DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12742Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This study investigates the spread of West Nile virus (WNV) in horses in Spain from 2010 to 2016, identifying significant factors related to its distribution and creating a risk map, ultimately aiding in improved prevention and treatment strategies.

Overview of the Study

  • This research aimed to understand the spread pattern of West Nile virus (WNV) among horses in Spain over a period of seven years (2010-2016).
  • The data was collected from August 2010 to November 2016, and during this period, 403 suspected cases were investigated, of which 177 cases (roughly half) were confirmed as WNV.
  • The ultimate objective was to identify environmental variables most associated with WNV outbreaks, so as to improve the capability of predicting and managing future outbreaks.

Major Findings of the Study

  • The morbidity, mortality, and case fatality rates due to WNV among horses in Spain averaged at 7.5%, 1.6%, and 21.2% respectively.
  • The common clinical symptoms observed in the infected horses included lethargy, laying down, muscular tremor, lack of coordination, ataxia (loss of full control of bodily movements), and hyperaesthesia (increased sensitivity).
  • The concentration of WNV outbreaks was highest in the western part of Andalusia (a region in southern Spain), where 92.7% of all outbreaks were reported.
  • WNV RNA lineage 1 was detected during the years 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016, which implies an ongoing presence and circulation of the virus in Spain.

Ecological Factors Influencing WNV Spread

  • Using a MaxEnt ecological niche model, the researchers created a suitability map for WNV occurrence in Andalusia.
  • The major contributing factors affecting its spread were the mean annual temperature (contributing 49.5%), the presence of the mosquito species Culex pipiens (contributing 19.5%), mean annual precipitation (contributing 16.1%), and proximity to Ramsar wetlands (contributing 14.9%).

Implications of the Study

  • The study provides significant insights into the spread patterns and influences of WNV in Spain, particularly in the horse population.
  • This data can aid in the development of better prevention and control strategies for WNV, safeguarding both animal and human populations in areas where WNV is endemic.

Cite This Article

APA
García-Bocanegra I, Belkhiria J, Napp S, Cano-Terriza D, Jiménez-Ruiz S, Martínez-López B. (2017). Epidemiology and spatio-temporal analysis of West Nile virus in horses in Spain between 2010 and 2016. Transbound Emerg Dis, 65(2), 567-577. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.12742

Publication

Transboundary and emerging diseases
ISSN: 1865-1682
NlmUniqueID: 101319538
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 65
Issue: 2
Pages: 567-577

Researcher Affiliations

García-Bocanegra, I
  • Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
Belkhiria, J
  • Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
Napp, S
  • Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA) - Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Barcelona, Spain.
Cano-Terriza, D
  • Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
Jiménez-Ruiz, S
  • Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
Martínez-López, B
  • Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Culex / virology
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
  • Europe
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Spatio-Temporal Analysis
  • West Nile Fever / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever / veterinary
  • West Nile Fever / virology
  • West Nile virus / genetics
  • West Nile virus / immunology
  • West Nile virus / isolation & purification

Citations

This article has been cited 18 times.
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