Abstract
The incidence of West Nile virus (WNv) has waxed and waned in Canada over the past 12 years, but it is unlikely to disappear. Climate change models, which suggest warming temperatures and changing patterns of precipitation, predict an expansion of geographic range for WNv in some regions of Canada, such as the Prairie provinces. Such projected changes in WNv distribution might also be accompanied by genetic changes in the virus and/or the range of bird and insect host species it infects. To address this risk, emphasis should be placed on preventing exposure to infected mosquitoes, conducting high-quality surveillance of WNv and WNv disease, controlling mosquito vectors, and promoting public and professional education.
Highlights
SummaryThe incidence of West Nile virus (WNv) has waxed and waned in Canada over the past 12 years, but it is unlikely to disappear
West Nile virus a globally distributed member of the genus Flavivirus, infects a wide range of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, as well as a variety of mosquito species, including members of the genus Culex
Since 1999, when human West Nile virus (WNv) disease was first recognized in humans in North America, the virus has spread continent-wide in both Canada and the USA, with annual outbreaks of varying intensity and regional distribution
Summary
The incidence of West Nile virus (WNv) has waxed and waned in Canada over the past 12 years, but it is unlikely to disappear. Climate change models, which suggest warming temperatures and changing patterns of precipitation, predict an expansion of geographic range for WNv in some regions of Canada, such as the Prairie provinces. Such projected changes in WNv distribution might be accompanied by genetic changes in the virus and/or the range of bird and insect host species it infects.
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