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Abstract

Background

West Nile virus (WNV) circulates in an enzootic cycle involving mosquitoes and birds; humans are accidental hosts.

Aim

We analysed human WNV infections reported between 2010 and 2018 to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to better understand WNV epidemiology.

Methods

We describe probable and confirmed autochthonous human cases of WNV infection reported by European Union (EU) and EU enlargement countries. Cases with unknown clinical manifestation or with unknown place of infection at NUTS 3 or GAUL 1 level were excluded from analysis.

Results

From southern, eastern and western Europe, 3,849 WNV human infections and 379 deaths were reported. Most cases occurred between June and October. Two large outbreaks occurred, in 2010 (n = 391) and in 2018 (n = 1,993). The outbreak in 2018 was larger than in all previous years and the first cases were reported unusually early. The number of newly affected areas (n = 45) was higher in 2018 than in previous years suggesting wider spread of WNV.

Conclusion

Real-time surveillance of WNV infections is key to ensuring that clinicians and public health authorities receive early warning about the occurrence of cases and potential unusual seasonal patterns. Human cases may appear shortly after first detection of animal cases. Therefore, public health authorities should develop preparedness plans before the occurrence of human or animal WNV infections.

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2021-05-13
2024-11-01
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.19.2001095
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Epidemiology of human West Nile virus infections in the European Union and European Union enlargement countries, 2010 to 2018
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Johanna+J+Young&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Young Johanna J</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Joana+M+Haussig&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Haussig Joana M</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Stephan+W+Aberle&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Aberle Stephan W</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Danai+Pervanidou&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Pervanidou Danai</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Flavia+Riccardo&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Riccardo Flavia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Neboj%C5%A1a+Sekuli%C4%87&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Sekulić Nebojša</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Tam%C3%A1s+Bakonyi&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Bakonyi Tamás</a>, <a href="/search?value1=C%C3%A9line+M+Gossner&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Gossner Céline M</a></span>. Epidemiology of human West Nile virus infections in the European Union and European Union enlargement countries, 2010 to 2018. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2021;26(19):pii=2001095. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.19.2001095" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.19.2001095</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 29 May 2020;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 08 Oct 2020 </span> </p>
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