Emergence of West Nile virus infections in humans in Turkey, 2010 to 2011

Abstract

In 2010, 47 human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection, including 12 laboratory-confirmed and 35 probable cases, were identified in Turkey. These were the first cases detected during routine surveillance. The patients were from 15 provinces, mainly located in the western part of the country. Incidence was 0.19/100,000 with a maximum of 1.39 in Sakarya province. Forty of the total 47 cases showed neuroinvasive manifestation. Median age was 58 years with a range of four to 86. Ten of the patients died. Enhanced surveillance in humans and animals and mosquito control measures were implemented. The WNV infections were included in the national notifiable diseases list as of April 2011. In 2011, three probable and two confirmed cases of WNV infection were diagnosed in provinces where infections had been detected in the previous year, supporting a lower activity than 2010. However, detection of WNV infections in humans in 2010 and 2011 consecutively, may indicate that WNV has become endemic in the western part of Turkey. Field epidemiological studies were undertaken to understand more about the nature of infection in Turkey.

Ex Ante Knowledge for Infectious Disease Outbreaks: Introducing the Organizational Network Governance Approach

“…National and European systems are in place to notify and monitor cases/the epidemiology of WNV (ECDC, 2013). A vast majority of European countries have reported either human or animal cases of WNV in the past, for example Greece, 2010(ECDC, 2010Turkey, 2010(Kalaycioglu et al, 2012; Croatia, 2012(Pem-Novosel et al, 2014; Italy, 2012(Barzon et al, 2012. To date, the Netherlands has had no autochthonous infections of WNV (i.e., infections acquired within the country) (Chancey, Grinev, Volkova, & Rios, 2014).…”

Overview of West Nile Virus and Sandfly-borne Phlebovirus Infections in Anatolia

“…CSF examinations demonstrated lymphocytic pleocytosis and increased protein levels and the diagnosis was established via detection of specific IgM antibodies an sera and/or CSF. An outbreak of acute WNV infections emerged in 2010 in Turkey, mainly in 15 provinces located in the western Anatolia and involved 12 serologically-confirmed and 35 probable cases with a case fatality rate of 21% 33 . Forty of the 47 cases displayed WND with most common symptoms being fever (100%), headache (85%), nausea/vomiting (75%), alteration of consciousness (57.5%), while convulsions were observed in 15%.…”

Türkiye'nin Orta ve Doğu Karadeniz Bölgesi tarımsal ve yapay alanlarda yayılım gösteren Culex pipiens L., 1758 (Diptera: Culicidae)’te kdr ve ace-1 mutasyon varyasyonlarının izlenmesi ve dağılımı

“…Culex pipiens L., 1758 (Diptera: Culicidae) species complex, commonly known the house mosquito, are a pest and can also serve as vector for several arboviruses like West Nile virus (WNV), Rift Valley fever, and Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856) (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) (Diaz-Badillo et al, 2011;Akıner & Eksi, 2015;Grigoraki et al, 2018;Zakhia et al, 2018). WNV was first detected in Türkiye in the 1970s and has since spread to different areas of the country (Ari, 1972;Ozkul et al, 2006;Kalaycioglu et al, 2012;Ergunay et al, 2014;Akıner et al, 2019). There is no cure or efficacious vaccine for most vector-borne diseases.…”