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Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin2018; 23(14); 17-00261; doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.14.17-00261

West Nile virus outbreak in humans and epidemiological surveillance, west Andalusia, Spain, 2016.

Abstract: In Andalusia, Spain, West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance takes place from April to November, during the active vector period. Within this area seroconversion to this virus was evidenced in wild birds in 2004, affecting horses and two humans for the first time in 2010. Since 2010, the virus has been isolated every year in horses, and national and regional surveillance plans have been updated with the epidemiological changes found. WNV is spreading rapidly throughout southern Europe and has caused outbreaks in humans. Here we describe the second WNV outbreak in humans in Andalusia, with three confirmed cases, which occurred between August and September 2016, and the measures carried out to control it. Surveillance during the transmission season is essential to monitor and ensure prompt identification of any outbreaks.
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Publication Date: 2018-04-12 PubMed ID: 29637890PubMed Central: PMC5894251DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.14.17-00261Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This study documents a 2016 outbreak of the West Nile virus in Andalusia, Spain, providing a description of the cases and discussing the steps taken to manage the situation.

Context

  • The paper addresses a West Nile virus (WNV) outbreak that occurred in Andalusia, Spain in 2016.
  • West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne zoonotic arbovirus that is found in temperate and tropical regions of the world.
  • In Andalusia, surveillance for the virus is conducted from April to November, corresponding to the active vector period, which is when the mosquitoes that spread the virus are most prevalent.
  • The first evidence of the presence of WNV in this area was found in 2004, when wild birds exhibited seroconversion, the process of developing detectable antibodies in the blood as a response to infection.
  • The first instances of WNV affecting horses and humans in this region were reported in 2010.

Current Surveillance and Past Findings

  • Since 2010, the virus has been isolated from infected horses every year in the area.
  • This recurring presence of the virus has led to updates and modifications to national and regional surveillance plans, aiming for better detection and management of the disease.
  • The authors mention that WNV is spreading rapidly throughout southern Europe, and as a result, outbreaks in humans are becoming more common.

2016 Outbreak and Control Measures

  • The main focus of the paper is the 2016 WNV outbreak in Andalusia, during which three human cases were confirmed.
  • The outbreak occurred between August and September 2016.
  • The authors also outline the measures that were taken to control and manage this outbreak, although they don’t dive into detailed specifics in the abstract.

Importance of Surveillance

  • The researchers highlight the importance of active surveillance during the transmission season, to ensuring prompt identification and response to any potential outbreaks.
  • Continued surveillance and ongoing disease monitoring during active vector periods can provide valuable information on disease prevalence, transmission, and spread, and inform future prevention and control strategies.

Cite This Article

APA
López-Ruiz N, Montaño-Remacha MDC, Durán-Pla E, Pérez-Ruiz M, Navarro-Marí JM, Salamanca-Rivera C, Miranda B, Oyonarte-Gómez S, Ruiz-Fernández J. (2018). West Nile virus outbreak in humans and epidemiological surveillance, west Andalusia, Spain, 2016. Euro Surveill, 23(14), 17-00261. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.14.17-00261

Publication

Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin
ISSN: 1560-7917
NlmUniqueID: 100887452
Country: Sweden
Language: English
Volume: 23
Issue: 14
PII: 17-00261

Researcher Affiliations

López-Ruiz, Nuria
  • Surveillance Department, Andalusian Regional Ministry of Health, Seville, Spain.
  • Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University Hospital Puerta del Mar, Cadiz, Spain.
Montaño-Remacha, María Del Carmen
  • Surveillance Department, Andalusian Regional Ministry of Health, Seville, Spain.
Durán-Pla, Enric
  • Surveillance Department, Andalusian Regional Ministry of Health, Seville, Spain.
Pérez-Ruiz, Mercedes
  • Department of Microbiology, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain.
  • Institute of Biosanitary Research, Granada, Spain.
  • Network Cooperative Research in Tropical Diseases (RICET), Carlos III Institute of Health (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
Navarro-Marí, Jose María
  • Department of Microbiology, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain.
  • Institute of Biosanitary Research, Granada, Spain.
  • Network Cooperative Research in Tropical Diseases (RICET), Carlos III Institute of Health (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
Salamanca-Rivera, Celia
  • Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain.
Miranda, Blanca
  • Transfusion Tissues and Cells Center, Seville, Spain.
Oyonarte-Gómez, Salvador
  • Transfusion Tissues and Cells Center, Seville, Spain.
Ruiz-Fernández, Josefa
  • General Secretary for Public Health and Consumption, Regional Ministry of Health, Andalusia, Spain.

MeSH Terms

  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Birds / virology
  • Culex / virology
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses / virology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin M / blood
  • Insect Vectors / virology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mosquito Vectors
  • Population Surveillance / methods
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever / transmission
  • West Nile Fever / veterinary
  • West Nile Fever / virology
  • West Nile virus / genetics
  • West Nile virus / immunology
  • West Nile virus / isolation & purification

Conflict of Interest Statement

None declared.

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