Human case of West Nile neuroinvasive disease in Portugal,  summer 2015

Zé-Zé, Líbia; Proença, Paula; Osório, Hugo Costa; Gomes, Maria Salomé; Luz, Teresa Elane Bezerra; Parreira, P.; Fevereiro, Miguel; Alves, Maria João

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.es.2015.20.38.30024

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 7 publications

(8 reference statements)

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“…Two months later, two equine cases were notified about 4 kilometers away from the reported human case. The most recent human infection was reported in a rural area of Almancil (Algarve) in 2015 in a patient testing positive for both WNV IgG and IgM antibodies and viral neutralization, with no record of international travel or history of vaccination against flaviviruses 45 . In August and September of the same year several outbreaks in equines were reported in Loulé (Algarve) with some animals testing positive by serology 42 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

West Nile virus transmission potential in Portugal

et al. 2022

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It is unclear whether West Nile virus (WNV) circulates endemically in Portugal. Despite the country’s adequate climate for transmission, Portugal has only reported four human WNV infections so far. We performed a review of WNV-related data (1966–2020), explored mosquito (2016–2019) and land type distributions (1992–2019), and used climate data (1981–2019) to estimate WNV transmission suitability in Portugal. Serological and molecular evidence of WNV circulation from animals and vectors was largely restricted to the south. Land type and climate-driven transmission suitability distributions, but not the distribution of WNV-capable vectors, were compatible with the North-South divide present in serological and molecular evidence of WNV circulation. Our study offers a comprehensive, data-informed perspective and review on the past epidemiology, surveillance and climate-driven transmission suitability of WNV in Portugal, highlighting the south as a subregion of importance. Given the recent WNV outbreaks across Europe, our results support a timely change towards local, active surveillance.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

West Nile virus transmission potential in Portugal

et al. 2022

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“…Since its first isolation in 1937 in the province of Uganda [1], West Nile virus (WNV) has been a leading cause of neuroinvasive diseases in humans [2]. Its spread across the world, and notably its outbreak in New York City in 1999 and subsequent rapid diffusion across the American continent, identified WNV as a major public health problem [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Determinants of West Nile Virus Virulence and Pathogenesis in Vertebrate and Invertebrate Hosts

Fiacre

Pagès

Albina

et al. 2020

IJMS

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West Nile virus (WNV), like the dengue virus (DENV) and yellow fever virus (YFV), are major arboviruses belonging to the Flavivirus genus. WNV is emerging or endemic in many countries around the world, affecting humans and other vertebrates. Since 1999, it has been considered to be a major public and veterinary health problem, causing diverse pathologies, ranging from a mild febrile state to severe neurological damage and death. WNV is transmitted in a bird–mosquito–bird cycle, and can occasionally infect humans and horses, both highly susceptible to the virus but considered dead-end hosts. Many studies have investigated the molecular determinants of WNV virulence, mainly with the ultimate objective of guiding vaccine development. Several vaccines are used in horses in different parts of the world, but there are no licensed WNV vaccines for humans, suggesting the need for greater understanding of the molecular determinants of virulence and antigenicity in different hosts. Owing to technical and economic considerations, WNV virulence factors have essentially been studied in rodent models, and the results cannot always be transported to mosquito vectors or to avian hosts. In this review, the known molecular determinants of WNV virulence, according to invertebrate (mosquitoes) or vertebrate hosts (mammalian and avian), are presented and discussed. This overview will highlight the differences and similarities found between WNV hosts and models, to provide a foundation for the prediction and anticipation of WNV re-emergence and its risk of global spread.

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“…Two months later, two equine cases were notified about 4 kilometers away from the reported human case. The most recent human infection was reported in a rural area of Almancil (Algarve) in 2015 in a patient testing positive for both WNV IgG and IgM antibodies and viral neutralization, with no record of international travel or history of vaccination against flaviviruses [63]. In August and September of the same year several outbreaks in equines were reported in Loulé (Algarve) with some animals testing positive by serology [60].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

West Nile virus in Portugal

Lourenço

Zé-Zé³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Background: West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen with a globally expanding geographical range. Many European countries regularly report outbreaks affecting both human and equine populations, with an increase in epidemic activity in the past decade. Portugal, on the far west of Europe, has not yet experienced large outbreaks of WNV, despite its suitable Mediterranean climate. Objectives: To provide a comprehensive, data-driven perspective on the past epidemiology, surveillance and transmission suitability of WNV in Portugal. Methods: Literature and database reviews were performed, covering the period between 1966 and 2020 on existing evidence for WNV circulation. Climatic data was used to estimate the theoretical transmission potential of WNV, and to analyse long-term climate trends between 1981 and 2019. Results: Existing data show that WNV-capable mosquito species are spread across the country, while WNV molecular and serological evidence is vastly concentrated in the south. Our analyses suggest that two different climate types, characteristic of the north and south of Portugal, contribute to quantitative differences in WNV theoretical transmission potential. This supports the north-south divide observed from previous molecular and serological evidence. Due to long-term changes in local climate, suitability for WNV transmission is shown to have been slowly increasing in the country. Discussion: Data and theoretical analyses support the notion that the south of Portugal is more suitable for WNV transmission, while not rejecting the possibility of transmission in the north. Mosquito monitoring has been effective, but surveillance of key sentinel species remains passive, creating important knowledge gaps for epidemic control and public health. To date, evidence supports WNV circulation, but it remains unclear whether it is endemic or sporadically transmitted. This study supports a timely change towards WNV active surveillance, to avoid and mitigate potential public health emergencies as those recently observed in other European countries.

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Human case of West Nile neuroinvasive disease in Portugal, summer 2015

Cited by 8 publications

References 7 publications

West Nile virus transmission potential in Portugal

West Nile virus transmission potential in Portugal

Molecular Determinants of West Nile Virus Virulence and Pathogenesis in Vertebrate and Invertebrate Hosts

West Nile virus in Portugal

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