Long-term serological surveillance for West Nile and Usutu virus in horses in south-West Spain.
Abstract: West Nile virus (WNV) is a re-emerging zoonotic pathogen with increasing incidence in Europe, producing a recent outbreak in 2020 in Spain with 77 human cases and eight fatalities. However, the factors explaining the observed changes in the incidence of WNV in Europe are not completely understood. Longitudinal monitoring of WNV in wild animals across Europe is a useful approach to understand the eco-epidemiology of WNV in the wild and the risk of spillover into humans. However, such studies are very scarce up to now. Here, we analysed the occurrence of WNV and Usutu virus (USUV) antibodies in 2102 samples collected between 2005 and 2020 from a population of feral horses in Doñana National Park. The prevalence of WNV antibodies varied between years, with a mean seroprevalence of 8.1% (range 0%-25%) and seasonally. Climate conditions including mean minimum annual temperatures and mean rainy days per year were positively correlated with WNV seroprevalence, while the annual rainfall was negatively. We also detected the highest incidence of seroconversions in 2020 coinciding with the human outbreak in southern Spain. Usutu virus-specific antibodies were detected in the horse population since 2011. The WNV outbreak in humans was preceded by a long period of increasing circulation of WNV among horses with a very high exposure in the year of the outbreak. These results highlight the utility of One Health approaches to better understand the transmission dynamics of zoonotics pathogens.
© 2023 The Authors.
Publication Date: 2023-06-12 PubMed ID: 38024263PubMed Central: PMC10665154DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100578Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research investigates the occurrence of West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) antibodies in horses in southwest Spain, revealing that climate conditions and increasing WNV activity among horses anticipated a 2020 human outbreak.
Overview and Objectives of the Research
- The aim of this study was to explore the factors contributing to changes in the incidence of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Europe, specifically through a longitudinal analysis of WNV and Usutu virus (USUV) in a horse population in Doñana National Park, Spain.
- These findings stem from a need to better understand re-emerging zoonotic pathogens like WNV, whose prevalence has been increasing in Europe, resulting in a significant outbreak in Spain in 2020.
- The researchers addressed the lack of previous studies monitoring WNV in wild animals across Europe, aiming to clarify the eco-epidemiology of WNV and the potential risk of viral transmission to humans.
Methodology and Results
- The researchers analyzed 2102 samples taken from feral horses between 2005 and 2020 for the occurrence of WNV and USUV antibodies.
- The level of WNV antibodies varied annually, with an average seroprevalence of 8.1%, and also demonstrated seasonal fluctuations.
- Climate factors such as mean minimum annual temperatures and average rainy days per year were found to be positively correlated with WNV seroprevalence, whereas overall annual rainfall was negatively correlated.
- Interestingly, the highest incidence of seroconversions were detected in 2020, coinciding with the human outbreak in Southern Spain.
- For the first time, USUV-specific antibodies were detected in the horse population in 2011.
Conclusions and Implications
- The most revealing result showed that a long-term increase in WNV circulation among horses preceded the human outbreak, with the exposed level peaking in the outbreak year.
- This provides valuable insight into the transmission dynamics of zoonotic pathogens and underscores the potential for a One Health approach — integrating human, animal and environmental health — in predicting and managing such outbreaks.
- These findings serve as an alert system for future WNV outbreaks in human populations, suggesting that monitoring seroprevalence in certain animal populations could serve as a warning for potential spillover into humans.
Cite This Article
APA
Magallanes S, Llorente F, Ruiz-López MJ, Martínez-de la Puente J, Soriguer R, Calderon J, Jímenez-Clavero MÁ, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Figuerola J.
(2023).
Long-term serological surveillance for West Nile and Usutu virus in horses in south-West Spain.
One Health, 17, 100578.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100578 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, 28130, Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Granada E-18071, Spain.
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, 28130, Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, 28130, Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain.
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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