Abstract
In September 2017, West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 was detected in Catalonia (Northern Spain) in northern goshawks by passive surveillance. The phylogenetic analyses showed that it was related to the Central/Southern European strains, evidencing WNV lineage 2 spread to Western Europe. WNV local transmission was later detected in bearded vultures housed at the Wildlife Recovery center where the goshawk was transferred to. Further studies, before the following period of high mosquito activity, indicated that WNV had circulated intensively in poultry and horses but only surrounding of the area where the virus was detected. In other areas of Catalonia, circulation of flaviviruses different to WNV was identified. Public Health investigations failed to detect WNV infection in humans.
Highlights
West Nile virus (WNV), within the genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae, is the most widespread arbovirus
West Nile virus has circulated in Europe for decades, but up until 2004, all outbreaks had been caused by WNV lineage 1
In 2004, WNV lineage 2 was detected in Hungary in a northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) with neurological symptoms, the first report of this lineage outside Africa (Bakonyi et al, 2006)
Summary
West Nile virus (WNV), within the genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae, is the most widespread arbovirus. WNV lineage 2 spread within Eastern and Central/ Southern Europe, where the virus has remained endemic, causing hundreds cases in humans, while cases in horses have been less
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