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Home / Equine Research Bank / Zoonoses Public Health / Orthoflavivirus surveillance in the Netherlands: Insights fr...
Zoonoses and public health2024; 71(8); 900-910; doi: 10.1111/zph.13171

Orthoflavivirus surveillance in the Netherlands: Insights from a serosurvey in horses & dogs and a questionnaire among horse owners.

Abstract: Zoonotic arboviruses (arthropod-borne) of the Orthoflavivirus genus, such as West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV) and Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), are emerging in Northwestern Europe and pose a threat to both human and animal health. In the Netherlands, passive symptomatic surveillance (notification of clinical cases) in horses is one of the main pillars for the early detection of WNV. For such passive surveillance to work properly, horse owners and veterinarians need to recognize symptoms and report suspected cases to the authorities. Currently, little is known about the seroprevalence of orthoflaviviruses in domestic animals in the Netherlands. Therefore, this study aims at identifying the seroprevalence of WNV and USUV in horses and dogs in the Netherlands. Additionally, this study seeks to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of Dutch horse owners towards mosquito-borne viruses. A cross-sectional serosurvey in horses and dogs was conducted between May 2021 and May 2022. Serum samples were screened using an ELISA and doubtful and positive samples were confirmed by Virus Neutralization Tests for WNV, USUV and TBEV. A validated questionnaire, the MosquitoWise survey, was used to assess the knowledge and perceptions of Dutch horse owners towards mosquito-borne viruses between July and October 2022. The serosurvey revealed a low seroprevalence for WNV in horses and no WNV-positive dogs were found. Similarly, a low USUV seroprevalence was found in dogs. The MosquitoWise survey revealed a high knowledge level for horse owners and high awareness of WNV vaccination but a more limited intent to vaccinate. The low seroprevalences of WNV and USUV indicate many dogs and horses remain susceptible, offering opportunities for trend analysis and surveillance. However, despite multiple recent detections of WNV, USUV, and TBEV in humans, the role of dogs and horses in early detection of human cases is debatable. High awareness among horse owners and the absence of detected equine WNV cases highlight this uncertainty. Continued surveillance is crucial for detecting increased virus circulation and protecting both animal and human health.
© 2024 The Author(s). Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.
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Publication Date: 2024-07-26 PubMed ID: 39057842DOI: 10.1111/zph.13171Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

Overview

  • This study investigated the presence of Orthoflavivirus infections (specifically West Nile virus [WNV] and Usutu virus [USUV]) in horses and dogs in the Netherlands by measuring antibodies in their blood, and assessed Dutch horse owners’ knowledge and perceptions about mosquito-borne viruses through a questionnaire.
  • The research aimed to understand how common these infections are and evaluate the effectiveness of current surveillance methods based on symptom reporting and owner awareness.

Background

  • Orthoflaviviruses, including WNV, USUV, and Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), are viruses transmitted by arthropods like mosquitoes and ticks which can infect both humans and animals.
  • These viruses have recently emerged as concerns in Northwestern Europe, including the Netherlands.
  • In horses, WNV infection can cause neurological symptoms. Because of this, detecting symptomatic horses is an important part of early warning systems to prevent outbreaks in humans.
  • The surveillance depends heavily on horse owners and veterinarians recognizing symptoms and reporting suspected cases to authorities promptly.
  • Prior to this study, little was known about how widespread these viruses were among domestic animals in the Netherlands or how knowledgeable horse owners were about these threats.

Study Design

  • A cross-sectional serosurvey was conducted from May 2021 to May 2022:
    • Serum samples from horses and dogs were collected and tested for antibodies against WNV, USUV, and TBEV using ELISA screening.
    • Samples that tested positive or doubtful were further verified by Virus Neutralization Tests to confirm specific virus infections.
  • Between July and October 2022, the MosquitoWise questionnaire was distributed to Dutch horse owners to assess their knowledge and perceptions regarding mosquito-borne viruses, particularly WNV.

Key Findings: Seroprevalence

  • Low seroprevalence of WNV was detected in horses, indicating few animals had been exposed to the virus.
  • No WNV antibodies were found in tested dogs, suggesting dogs had not been infected or were rarely infected.
  • Dogs showed low seroprevalence for USUV as well.
  • These low infection rates imply that many horses and dogs remain susceptible to these viruses.

Key Findings: Horse Owner Knowledge and Perceptions

  • The MosquitoWise survey indicated horse owners have a high level of knowledge about mosquito-borne viruses including WNV.
  • A large majority of horse owners were aware that vaccination against WNV is available.
  • Despite this awareness, the intention to vaccinate their horses was relatively limited, revealing a gap between knowledge and behavior.

Implications

  • The low seroprevalences among dogs and horses suggest that these animals could be useful for ongoing trend monitoring to detect increases in virus circulation over time.
  • However, the usefulness of dogs and horses as early warning indicators for human infections remains uncertain because of the low infection rates detected in animals despite the virus being present in humans.
  • High awareness among horse owners and the absence of reported equine WNV cases complicate the role of passive surveillance based on symptomatic reporting.
  • These findings highlight the importance of maintaining active surveillance and possibly developing additional methods beyond relying on horse symptom reporting to protect both human and animal health.

Conclusion

  • This study provides valuable baseline data on the prevalence of WNV and USUV in domestic animals in the Netherlands and reveals good awareness but limited vaccination intent among horse owners.
  • Continued surveillance is essential to detect any uptick in virus circulation in animals, which could have implications for public health.
  • The role of domestic animals in early detection of human arbovirus infections needs further exploration and possibly complementary surveillance strategies.

Cite This Article

APA
Streng K, Hakze-van der Honing RW, Graham H, van Oort S, de Best PA, Abourashed A, van der Poel WHM. (2024). Orthoflavivirus surveillance in the Netherlands: Insights from a serosurvey in horses & dogs and a questionnaire among horse owners. Zoonoses Public Health, 71(8), 900-910. https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.13171

Publication

Zoonoses and public health
ISSN: 1863-2378
NlmUniqueID: 101300786
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 71
Issue: 8
Pages: 900-910

Researcher Affiliations

Streng, Kiki
  • Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Hakze-van der Honing, Renate W
  • Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University and Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Graham, Heather
  • Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University and Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
van Oort, Sophie
  • Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University and Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
de Best, Pauline A
  • Viroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
  • National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
Abourashed, Ayat
  • Viroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
  • Centre for Advances Studies of Blanes, Blanes, Spain.
van der Poel, Wim H M
  • Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
  • Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University and Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Netherlands / epidemiology
  • Dogs
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Humans
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Dog Diseases / epidemiology
  • Dog Diseases / virology
  • Flavivirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Flavivirus Infections / veterinary
  • Flavivirus Infections / virology
  • Flavivirus / isolation & purification
  • Flavivirus / immunology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Male
  • Female
  • Zoonoses
  • West Nile virus / isolation & purification
  • West Nile virus / immunology
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • West Nile Fever / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever / veterinary
  • West Nile Fever / virology

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Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
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