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Banović P, Mijatović D, Bogdan I, Simin V, Meletis E, Kostoulas P, Resman Rus K, Knap N, Korva M, Avšič-Županc T, Cabezas-Cruz A. Evidence of tick-borne encephalitis virus neutralizing antibodies in Serbian individuals exposed to tick bites. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1314538. [PMID: 38156013 PMCID: PMC10754514 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1314538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an emerging vector-borne and food-borne disease caused by the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV; Orthoflavivirus encephalitidis), with a distribution spanning the Eurasian continent. Despite its significant public health impact in various European regions, TBE remains largely underdiagnosed in Serbia due to limited awareness and diagnostic challenges. In response to this, our study aimed to comprehensively assess TBEV exposure in individuals infested with ticks and to identify potential TBEV foci within Serbia. Materials and methods From 2019 to 2021, we conducted an observational study involving 450 patients who reported tick infestations. Results Our demographic analysis revealed a median age of 38 years, with a slight male predominance among the participants. We documented tick infestations in 38 municipalities across 14 districts of Serbia, with a notable concentration in proximity to Fruška Gora Mountain. The ticks most frequently removed were Ixodes ricinus, with nymphs and adult females being the predominant stages. On average, nymphs were removed after about 27.1 hours of feeding, while adult females remained attached for approximately 44.4 hours. Notably, we found age as a significant predictor of infestation time for both nymphs and adult females. Furthermore, we detected TBEV-neutralizing antibodies in 0.66% of the serum samples, shedding light on potential TBEV foci, particularly in Fruška Gora Mountain and other regions of Serbia. Conclusion Our study emphasizes the urgent need for active TBE surveillance programs, especially in areas suspected of hosting TBEV foci, in order to assess the true TBE burden, identify at-risk populations, and implement effective preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Banović
- Clinic for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Department of Microbiology with Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Dragana Mijatović
- Department for Research and Monitoring of Rabies and Other Zoonoses, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Ivana Bogdan
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Verica Simin
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Eleftherios Meletis
- Faculty of Public and One Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Polychronis Kostoulas
- Faculty of Public and One Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Katarina Resman Rus
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nataša Knap
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miša Korva
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tatjana Avšič-Županc
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
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Radovanov J, Bijelović S, Kovačević G, Patić A, Pustahija T, Cvjetković IH. Mosquito and human surveillance of mosquito-borne diseases in the Serbian city of Novi Sad in 2022. J Vector Ecol 2023; 48:131-137. [PMID: 37843455 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-48.2.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Radovanov
- Centre for Hygiene and Human Ecology, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia,
| | - Sanja Bijelović
- Centre for Hygiene and Human Ecology, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Gordana Kovačević
- Centre of Virology, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Patić
- Centre of Virology, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
| | - Tatjana Pustahija
- Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
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Jankovic M, Cirkovic V, Stamenkovic G, Loncar A, Todorovic M, Stanojevic M, Siljic M. Detection of the Xanthi Chryso-like Virus in New Geographical Area and a Novel Arthropod Carrier. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:tropicalmed8040225. [PMID: 37104350 PMCID: PMC10144253 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8040225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we report on a serendipitous finding of a chryso-like virus associated with Culex pipiens mosquitos in the course of study aimed to detect and characterize West Nile virus (WNV) circulating in mosquitos in Serbia, Southern Europe. Upon initial detection of unexpected product in a PCR protocol for partial WNV NS5 gene amplification, further confirmation and identification was obtained through additional PCR and Sanger sequencing experiments. Bioinformatic and phylogenetic analysis identified the obtained sequences as Xanthi chryso-like virus (XCLV). The finding is particular for the fact that it associates XCLV with a new potential vector species and documents a novel geographical area of its distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Jankovic
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Virology, University of Belgrade, 1 Dr Subotića Starijeg Street, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Valentina Cirkovic
- Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food and Vector Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Gorana Stamenkovic
- Department for Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković"-National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ana Loncar
- Institute for Biocides and Medical Ecology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marija Todorovic
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Virology, University of Belgrade, 1 Dr Subotića Starijeg Street, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Maja Stanojevic
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Virology, University of Belgrade, 1 Dr Subotića Starijeg Street, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marina Siljic
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Virology, University of Belgrade, 1 Dr Subotića Starijeg Street, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
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Cvjetković IH, Radovanov J, Kovačević G, Turkulov V, Patić A. Diagnostic value of urine qRT-PCR for the diagnosis of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2023. [PMID: 37390574 DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2023.115920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Short and low-level viremia and virorachia, antibody cross-reactivity, IgM persistence, and inaccessibility of neutralization test, make laboratory diagnosis of West Nile virus (WNV) infection difficult. Recent investigations imply that WNV is excreted in urine longer and at higher concentrations compared to blood. The detection of WNV nucleic acid in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum, and urine samples collected from 41 patients with suspected WNV neuroinvasive disease, was done by real-time RT-PCR assay. CSF and serum samples were also serologically tested using anti-WNV IgM/IgG ELISA kits. WNV infection was confirmed in 46.3% of patients by positive WNV RNA results in serum and/or CSF samples. The WNV RNA testing of urine allowed confirmation of 31.7% more cases. No association between WNV RNA urine positivity and age, gender, or the day of sample collection was found. The urine qRT-PCR can be a valuable diagnostic test for confirmation of probable cases of WNV neuroinvasive disease.
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Banović P, Díaz-Sánchez AA, Đurić S, Sević S, Turkulov V, Lendak D, Mikić SS, Simin V, Mijatović D, Bogdan I, Potkonjak A, Savić S, Obregón D, Cabezas-Cruz A. Unexpected TBEV Seropositivity in Serbian Patients Who Recovered from Viral Meningitis and Encephalitis. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11030371. [PMID: 35335695 PMCID: PMC8951648 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11030371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) causes a life-threatening disease named Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). The clinical symptoms associated with TBE range from non-specific to severe inflammation of the central nervous system and are very similar to the clinical presentation of other viral meningitis/encephalitis. In consequence, TBE is often misclassified by clinical physicians, mainly in the non-identified high-risk areas where none or only a few TBE cases have been reported. Considering this situation, we hypothesized that among persons from northern Serbia who recovered from viral meningitis or encephalitis, there would be evidence of TBEV infection. To test this hypothesis, in this observational study, we evaluated the seroreactivity against TBEV antigens in patients from northern Serbia who were hospitalized due to viral meningitis and/or viral encephalitis of unknown etiology. Three cases of seroreactivity to TBEV antigens were discovered among convalescent patients who recovered from viral meningitis and/or encephalitis and accepted to participate in the study (n = 15). The clinical and laboratory findings of these patients overlap with that of seronegative convalescent patients. Although TBE has been a notifiable disease in Serbia since 2004, there is no active TBE surveillance program for the serologic or molecular screening of TBEV infection in humans in the country. This study highlights the necessity to increase the awareness of TBE among physicians and perform active and systematic screening of TBEV antibodies among patients with viral meningitis and/or encephalitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Banović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Prevention of Rabies and Other Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
- Department of Microbiology with Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
- Correspondence: (P.B.); (A.C.-C.)
| | | | - Selena Đurić
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
| | - Siniša Sević
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Vesna Turkulov
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Dajana Lendak
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Sandra Stefan Mikić
- Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (S.Đ.); (S.S.); (V.T.); (D.L.); (S.S.M.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Verica Simin
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Dragana Mijatović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Prevention of Rabies and Other Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Ivana Bogdan
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Aleksandar Potkonjak
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Sara Savić
- Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Dasiel Obregón
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
- Correspondence: (P.B.); (A.C.-C.)
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Banović P, Obregón D, Mijatović D, Simin V, Stankov S, Budakov-Obradović Z, Bujandrić N, Grujić J, Sević S, Turkulov V, Díaz-Sánchez AA, Cabezas-Cruz A. Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Seropositivity among Tick Infested Individuals in Serbia. Pathogens 2021; 10:301. [PMID: 33807559 PMCID: PMC8001322 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), caused by the TBE virus (TBEV), is a life-threatening disease with clinical symptoms ranging from non-specific to severe inflammation of the central nervous system. Despite TBE is a notifiable disease in Serbia since 2004, there is no active TBE surveillance program for the serologic or molecular screening of TBEV infection in humans in the country. This prospective cohort study aimed to assess the TBEV exposure among tick-infested individuals in Serbia during the year 2020. A total of 113 individuals exposed to tick bites were recruited for the study and screened for anti-TBEV antibodies using a commercial indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA) test. Blood samples from 50 healthy donors not exposed to tick bites were included as a control group. Most of the enrolled patients reported infestations with one tick, being I. ricinus the most frequent tick found in the participants. The TBEV seroprevalence was higher (13.27%, 15 total 113) in tick-infested individuals than in healthy donors (4%, 2 total 50), although the difference was not significant. Notably, male individuals exposed to tick bites showed five times higher relative risk (RR) of being TBEV-seropositive than healthy donors of the same gender (RR= 5.1, CI = 1.6-19; p = 0.007). None of the seropositive individuals developed clinical manifestations of TBE, but the first clinical-stage of Lyme borreliosis (i.e., erythema migrans) was detected in seven of them. Potential TBEV foci were identified in rural areas, mostly in proximity or within the Fruška Gora mountain. We conclude that the Serbian population is at high risk of TBEV exposure. Further epidemiological studies should focus on potential TBEV foci identified in this study. The implementation of active surveillance for TBEV might contribute to evaluating the potential negative impact of TBE in Serbia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Banović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
| | - Dasiel Obregón
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
- Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP 13400-970, Brazil
| | - Dragana Mijatović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Verica Simin
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (V.S.); (S.S.)
| | - Srdjan Stankov
- Department of Microbiology, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (V.S.); (S.S.)
| | - Zorana Budakov-Obradović
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Blood Transfusion Institute Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Nevenka Bujandrić
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Blood Transfusion Institute Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Jasmina Grujić
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Blood Transfusion Institute Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Siniša Sević
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Vesna Turkulov
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (Z.B.-O.); (N.B.); (J.G.); (S.S.); (V.T.)
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | | | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
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Vilibic-Cavlek T, Petrovic T, Savic V, Barbic L, Tabain I, Stevanovic V, Klobucar A, Mrzljak A, Ilic M, Bogdanic M, Benvin I, Santini M, Capak K, Monaco F, Listes E, Savini G. Epidemiology of Usutu Virus: The European Scenario. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9090699. [PMID: 32858963 PMCID: PMC7560012 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9090699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging arbovirus isolated in 1959 (Usutu River, Swaziland). Previously restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, the virus was introduced in Europe in 1996. While the USUV has received little attention in Africa, the virus emergence has prompted numerous studies with robust epidemiological surveillance programs in Europe. The natural transmission cycle of USUV involves mosquitoes (vectors) and birds (amplifying hosts) with humans and other mammals considered incidental ("dead-end") hosts. In Africa, the virus was isolated in mosquitoes, rodents and birds and serologically detected in horses and dogs. In Europe, USUV was detected in bats, whereas antibodies were found in different animal species (horses, dogs, squirrels, wild boar, deer and lizards). While bird mortalities were not reported in Africa, in Europe USUV was shown to be highly pathogenic for several bird species, especially blackbirds (Turdus merula) and great gray owls (Strix nebulosa). Furthermore, neurotropism of USUV for humans was reported for the first time in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. Epizootics and genetic diversity of USUV in different bird species as well as detection of the virus in mosquitoes suggest repeated USUV introductions into Europe with endemization in some countries. The zoonotic potential of USUV has been reported in a growing number of human cases. Clinical cases of neuroinvasive disease and USUV fever, as well as seroconversion in blood donors were reported in Europe since 2009. While most USUV strains detected in humans, birds and mosquitoes belong to European USUV lineages, several reports indicate the presence of African lineages as well. Since spreading trends of USUV are likely to continue, continuous multidisciplinary interventions ("One Health" concept) should be conducted for monitoring and prevention of this emerging arboviral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.T.); (M.B.)
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +385-1-4863-238
| | - Tamas Petrovic
- Department for Virology, Scientific Veterinary Institute, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Vladimir Savic
- Poultry Center, Croatian Veterinary Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Ljubo Barbic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.B.); (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Irena Tabain
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.T.); (M.B.)
| | - Vladimir Stevanovic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.B.); (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Ana Klobucar
- Department of Epidemiology, Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Anna Mrzljak
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- Department of Medicine, Merkur University Hospital, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maja Ilic
- Department of Epidemiology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Maja Bogdanic
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.T.); (M.B.)
| | - Iva Benvin
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.B.); (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Marija Santini
- Department for Intensive Care Medicine and Neuroinfectology, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr Fran Mihaljevic”, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Krunoslav Capak
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Federica Monaco
- OIE Reference Center for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.M.); (G.S.)
| | - Eddy Listes
- Laboratory for Diagnostics, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Regional Institute Split, 21000 Split, Croatia;
| | - Giovanni Savini
- OIE Reference Center for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.M.); (G.S.)
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Vilibic-Cavlek T, Savic V, Petrovic T, Toplak I, Barbic L, Petric D, Tabain I, Hrnjakovic-Cvjetkovic I, Bogdanic M, Klobucar A, Mrzljak A, Stevanovic V, Dinjar-Kujundzic P, Radmanic L, Monaco F, Listes E, Savini G. Emerging Trends in the Epidemiology of West Nile and Usutu Virus Infections in Southern Europe. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:437. [PMID: 31867347 PMCID: PMC6908483 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidemiology of West Nile (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Since 1999, there have been regular reports of WNV outbreaks and the virus has expanded its area of circulation in many Southern European countries. After emerging in Italy in 1996, USUV has spread to other countries causing mortality in several bird species. In 2009, USUV seroconversion in horses was reported in Italy. Co-circulation of both viruses was detected in humans, horses and birds. The main vector of WNV and USUV in Europe is Culex pipiens, however, both viruses were found in native Culex mosquito species (Cx. modestus, Cx. perexiguus). Experimental competence to transmit the WNV was also proven for native and invasive mosquitoes of Aedes and Culex genera (Ae. albopictus, Ae. detritus, Cx. torrentium). Recently, Ae. albopictus and Ae. japonicus naturally-infected with USUV were reported. While neuroinvasive human WNV infections are well-documented, USUV infections are sporadically detected. However, there is increasing evidence of a role of USUV in human disease. Seroepidemiological studies showed that USUV circulation is more common than WNV in some endemic regions. Recent data showed that WNV strains detected in humans, horses, birds, and mosquitoes mainly belong to lineage 2. In addition to European USUV lineages, some reports indicate the presence of African USUV lineages as well. The trends in WNV/USUV range and vector expansion are likely to continue in future years. This mini-review provides an update on the epidemiology of WNV and USUV infections in Southern Europe within a multidisciplinary "One Health" context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- *Correspondence: Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
| | - Vladimir Savic
- Poultry Center, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tamas Petrovic
- Department for Virology, Scientific Veterinary Institute, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Ivan Toplak
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ljubo Barbic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases With Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dusan Petric
- Laboratory for Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Irena Tabain
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivana Hrnjakovic-Cvjetkovic
- Center for Microbiology, Institute of Public Health Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Medical Faculty, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Maja Bogdanic
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Klobucar
- Division of Disinfection, Disinfestation and Pest Control, Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anna Mrzljak
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Medicine, Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vladimir Stevanovic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases With Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Luka Radmanic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases With Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Federica Monaco
- OIE Reference Center for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Eddy Listes
- Laboratory for Diagnostics, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Regional Institute Split, Split, Croatia
| | - Giovanni Savini
- OIE Reference Center for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
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