Human West Nile Virus Disease Outbreak in Pakistan, 2015–2016

Abstract

Like most of the world, Pakistan has seen an increase in mosquito-transmitted diseases in recent years. The magnitude and distribution of these diseases are poorly understood as Pakistan does not have a nation-wide system for reporting disease. A cross-sectional study to determine which flaviviruses were causing of arboviral disease in Pakistan was instituted. West Nile virus (WNV) is a cause of seasonal fever with neurotropic findings in countries that share borders with Pakistan. Here, we describe the active and persistent circulation of WNV in humans in the southern region of Pakistan. This is the first report of WNV causing neurological disease in human patients in this country. Of 997 enrolled patients presenting with clinical features suggestive of arboviral disease, 105 were positive for WNV IgM antibodies, and 71 of these patients possessed WNV-specific neutralizing antibodies. Cross-reactivity of WNV IgM antibodies with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) occurred in 75 of these 105 patients. WNV co-infections with Dengue viruses were not a contributing factor for the severity of disease. Nor did prior exposure to dengue virus contribute to incidence of neurological involvement in WNV-infected patients. Patients with WNV infections were more likely to present with altered mental status, seizures, and reduced Glasgow Coma scores when compared with JEV-infected patients. Human WNV cases and vector numbers exhibited a temporal correlation with climate.

Water Resources Helps i̇n the Expansi̇on of Mosqui̇toes Coloni̇es

“…West Nile Disease virus cause by a single stranded, enveloped positivesense RNA virus. It belongs to family flavivirus (Khan et al, 2018). It is transmitted by culex mosquitoes, family Culicidae (Londono-Renteria et al, 2016).…”

“…An outbreak is reported recently in Karachi however investigator cannot detect the viral genome (Khan et al, 2018). The major routes of transmission is mosquito bites to humans in WNV infection other routes may be blood transfusion and organ transplantation (Aghaie et al, 2016).…”

“…Diagnoses can be done on the bases of IgM antibodies in blood serum (Control et al, 2011). Test used for the identification of west nile disease viruses are NS1 and IgM ELISA testing, RT-PCR, Plaque reduction neutralization testing (Khan et al, 2018).…”

Molecular Analysis of Targeted Insecticide Resistance Gene Mutations in field Aedes Aegypti and Culex Quinquefasciatus Mosquito Vectors of Arboviruses from Saudi Arabia

“…quinquefasciatus, vector of West Nile, Rift Valley fever and Japanese encephalitis, are two dominant mosquitoes in Jeddah [13,14]. Although there have been no reports of West Nile virus outbreaks in Jeddah, it has been reported in countries neighbouring Saudi Arabia, such as Pakistan, Iran, Egypt and Israel [15][16][17]. Since the distribution of the two vectors Ae.…”

Molecular analysis of targeted insecticide resistance gene mutations in field Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito vectors of arboviruses from Saudi Arabia

“…quinquefasciatus Say, 1823, vector of West Nile, Rift Valley fever and Japanese encephalitis, are two dominant mosquitoes in Jeddah [11,12]. Although there have been no reports of West Nile virus outbreaks in Jeddah, it has been reported in countries neighbouring Saudi Arabia, such as Pakistan, Iran, Egypt and Israel [13][14][15]. Since the distribution of the two vectors Ae.…”