Usutu Virus RNA in Mosquitoes, Israel, 2014-2015.

Batya Mannasse,Yaniv Lustig,Tamar Yeger,Laor Orshan,Uri Shalom,Orna Mor,Ella Mendelson

doi:10.3201/eid2310.171017

Batya Mannasse, Yaniv Lustig + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2310.171017

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Abstract

We identified Usutu virus (USUV) RNA in 6 pools of mosquitoes trapped in northern Israel during 2014–2015. These Israeli strains were most similar to strains identified in Senegal and Germany, which further elucidates common ancestry and evolutionary dynamics of USUV. Our findings suggest that human infection with USUV might occur in Israel.

Highlights

We identified Usutu virus (USUV) RNA in 6 pools of mosquitoes trapped in northern Israel during 2014–2015
Mosquito specimens were collected from trapping sites throughout Israel, all USUV RNA–positive pools were captured in northern Israel (Figure 1) and belonged to 3 mosquito species (Table)
Similar to West Nile virus (WNV) outbreaks in Europe, the United States, and Israel during 1990–2010, which were occasionally preceded by large numbers of WNV infections in birds [12], USUV detection in birds and mosquitoes might be the first indication of future USUV outbreaks in humans

Summary

Introduction

We identified Usutu virus (USUV) RNA in 6 pools of mosquitoes trapped in northern Israel during 2014–2015. Since 1996, when USUV was first detected outside Africa in a blackbird in Italy, the virus has been identified in mosquitoes and birds in several countries in Europe [4]. WNV circulates in mosquitoes and birds in this country and was responsible for ≈1,400 cases of human infections during 2000–2012 [8].

Results

Conclusion