Abstract
BackgroundWest Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) are emerging vector-borne zoonotic flaviviruses. They are antigenically very similar, sharing the same life cycle with birds as amplification host, Culicidae as vector, and man/horse as dead-end host. They can co-circulate in an overlapping geographic range. In Europe, surveillance plans annually detect several outbreaks.MethodsIn Italy, a WNV/USUV surveillance plan is in place through passive and active surveillance. After a 2018 WNV outbreak, a reinforced integrated risk-based surveillance was performed in four municipalities through clinical and serological surveillance in horses, Culicidae catches, and testing on human blood-based products for transfusion.ResultsEight WNV cases in eight equine holdings were detected. Twenty-three mosquitoe catches were performed and 2367 specimens of Culex pipiens caught; 17 pools were USUV positive. A total of 8889 human blood donations were tested, and two asymptomatic donors were USUV positive.ConclusionsDifferent surveillance components simultaneously detected WNV only in horses and USUV only in humans and mosquitoes. While in endemic areas (i.e. northern Italy) entomological surveillance is successfully used as an early detection warning, this method in central Italy seems ineffective. To achieve a high level of sensitivity, the entomological trapping effort should probably exceed a reasonable balance between cost and performance. Besides, WNV/USUV early detection can be addressed by horses and birds. Further research is needed to adapt the surveillance components in different epidemiological contexts.Graphical
Highlights
West Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) are emerging vector-borne zoonotic flaviviruses
The aim of the present article is to describe the cocirculation of West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV), detected for the first time in central Italy, and to evaluate the sensitivity and the efficacy of the components of surveillance activities
All sera from WNV-positive animals were sent to the National Reference Centre (NRC) for diagnostic confirmation of West Nile disease (WND) and USUV
Summary
West Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) are emerging vector-borne zoonotic flaviviruses. They are antigenically very similar, sharing the same life cycle with birds as amplification host, Culicidae as vector, and man/horse as dead-end host. West Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) viruses are emerging vector-borne flaviviruses within the Flaviviridae family, belonging to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex [1]. The first reported outbreaks of WNV in the European area were notified in Romania in 1996 [3]. Scaramozzino et al Parasites Vectors (2021) 14:243 the period 2011–2017, 1226 human cases of West Nile disease (WND) were detected in the European Union, mainly in Italy, Greece, Hungary, and Romania [4, 5]. USUV has been detected in 15 countries in Europe and is considered to be spreading [10]
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