West Nile and Usutu Viruses’ Surveillance in Birds of the Province of Ferrara, Italy, from 2015 to 2019

Abstract

West Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) viruses are mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Thanks to their importance as zoonotic diseases, a regional plan for surveillance of Arboviruses was implemented in Emilia-Romagna in 2009. The province of Ferrara belongs to the Emilia-Romagna region, and it is an endemic territory for these viruses, with favorable ecological conditions for abundance of mosquitoes and wild birds. From 2015 to 2019, we collected 1842 dead-found birds at a wildlife rehabilitation center, which were analysed by three different PCRs for the detection of WNV and USUV genomes. August was characterized by the highest infection rate for both viruses. Columbiformes scored the highest USUV prevalence (8%), while Galliformes and Strigiformes reported the highest prevalence for WNV (13%). Among Passeriformes (the most populated Order), Turdus merula was the most abundant species and scored the highest prevalence for both viruses. To optimize passive surveillance plans, monitoring should be focused on the summer and towards the avian species more prone to infection by both viruses.

One Health surveillance of West Nile and Usutu viruses: a repeated cross-sectional study exploring seroprevalence and endemicity in Southern France, 2016 to 2020

“…This study also highlights the need for reinforcement of monitoring and surveillance programmes for USUV and WNV infection over several years, including monitoring of geographic spread and the dynamics of USUV and WNV transmission in both primary and incidental hosts. Such programs exist in various European countries, particularly in southern Europe, but they are mostly focused on seasonal surveillance of WNV [ 48 - 50 ]. However, some countries, such as Italy, have more recently expanded their programs for both viruses planned annually under the National Integrated Surveillance Plan (NISP), based on entomological, veterinary and human surveillance activities.…”

Expedited retrieval of high-quality Usutu virus genomes via Nanopore sequencing with and without target enrichment

“…To date, USUV epidemiological surveillance programs have focused primarily on the molecular (RT-qPCR) and serological detection (virus neutralization tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays) of USUV-specific genome and antibodies, respectively. Passive and active surveillance efforts of wild birds and captive zoological birds are regularly performed, among others in Austria ( Bakonyi et al, 2007 ; Chvala et al, 2007 ; Meister et al, 2008 ; Rubel et al, 2008 ), Belgium ( Rouffaer et al, 2018 ; Benzarti et al, 2020 ), France ( Vittecoq et al, 2013 ; Roesch et al, 2019 ; Constant et al, 2020 ), Germany ( Ziegler et al, 2015 , 2022 ; Michel et al, 2018 , 2019 ), Hungary ( Bakonyi et al, 2007 ; Weidinger et al, 2020 ), Italy ( Manarolla et al, 2010 ; Savini et al, 2011 ; Tamba et al, 2011 ; Giglia et al, 2021 ; Lauriano et al, 2021 ; Scaramozzino et al, 2021 ; Zecchin et al, 2021 ; Mancuso et al, 2022 ), the Netherlands ( Lim et al, 2018 ), Spain ( Jurado-Tarifa et al, 2016 ; Marzal et al, 2022 ), and the United Kingdom ( Buckley et al, 2003 ; Horton et al, 2013 ; Folly et al, 2020 ). Nonetheless, a genomic surveillance of USUV is rare, with a limited number of available full-genome sequences.…”

Analysis Of Preventive Measures for West Nile Virus

“…In addition to the study of bird species, the researchers also counted the distribution of bird mortality and found that the highest number of birds tested positive for the virus was found between July and September, with the maximum number coming in the second week of August, a result that coincided with the peak mosquito season they obtained for the region. The researchers also found that passive detection of dead birds through, for example, cell phones is easier to implement and more cost-effective, while active detection requires a certain base of conditions to be implemented [11].…”