Abstract
We report a widespread Usutu virus outbreak in birds in the Netherlands. Viral presence had been detected through targeted surveillance as early as April 2016 and increased mortality in common blackbirds and captive great grey owls was noticed from August 2016 onwards. Usutu virus infection was confirmed by post-mortem examination and RT-PCR. Extensive Usutu virus activity in the Netherlands in 2016 underlines the need to monitor mosquito activity and mosquito-borne infections in 2017 and beyond.
Highlights
We report a widespread Usutu virus outbreak in birds in the Netherlands
Viral presence had been detected through targeted surveillance as early as April 2016 and increased mortality in common blackbirds and captive great grey owls was noticed from August 2016 onwards
We describe the detection of Usutu virus (USUV; genus Flavivirus, family Flaviridae), a potentially zoonotic mosquito-borne virus, in live birds captured in the Netherlands in April 2016, and the development of an USUV outbreak with mortality in birds first noticed in August 2016
Summary
J Rijks 1 2 , M Kik 1 2 3 , R Slaterus 4 , R Foppen 4 5 , A Stroo 6 , J IJzer 1 3 , J Stahl 4 , A Gröne 1 3 , M Koopmans 7 , H van der Jeugd 8 , C Reusken 7 1. Dutch Wildlife Health Centre (DWHC), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands 2. These authors contributed to the work 3. Widespread Usutu virus outbreak in birds in the Netherlands, 2016. We report a widespread Usutu virus outbreak in birds in the Netherlands. Extensive Usutu virus activity in the Netherlands in 2016 underlines the need to monitor mosquito activity and mosquitoborne infections in 2017 and beyond. We describe the detection of Usutu virus (USUV; genus Flavivirus, family Flaviridae), a potentially zoonotic mosquito-borne virus, in live birds captured in the Netherlands in April 2016, and the development of an USUV outbreak with mortality in birds first noticed in August 2016. We provide details on pathological findings in common blackbirds (Turdus merula; Tm) and great grey owls (Strix nebulosa; Sn) and give information on the size of the outbreak, as well as on mosquito abundance in 2016
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