scholarly journals Proximity of Residence to Bodies of Water and Risk for West Nile Virus Infection: A Case-Control Study in Houston, Texas

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa S. Nolan ◽  
Ana Zangeneh ◽  
Salma A. Khuwaja ◽  
Diana Martinez ◽  
Susan N. Rossmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Transmission Cycle ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Slow Moving

West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne virus, has clinically affected hundreds of residents in the Houston metropolitan area since its introduction in 2002. This study aimed to determine if living within close proximity to a water source increases one’s odds of infection with WNV. We identified 356 eligible WNV-positive cases and 356 controls using a population proportionate to size model with US Census Bureau data. We found that living near slow moving water sources was statistically associated with increased odds for human infection, while living near moderate moving water systems was associated with decreased odds for human infection. Living near bayous lined with vegetation as opposed to concrete also showed increased risk of infection. The habitats of slow moving and vegetation lined water sources appear to favor the mosquito-human transmission cycle. These methods can be used by resource-limited health entities to identify high-risk areas for arboviral disease surveillance and efficient mosquito management initiatives.

scholarly journals West Nile virus infection in humans and other vertebrates

2014 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Hrnjakovic-Cvjetkovic ◽  
V. Milosevic ◽  
V. Petrovic ◽  
G. Kovacevic ◽  
J. Radovanov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Mosquito Vectors ◽  
The West ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Transmission Cycle ◽  
The Usa

The West Nile virus is an arthropod borne or ARBO virus from the Flaviviridae family, which is maintained in nature in the transmission cycle between hosting birds and ornithophilic mosquito vectors. The virus is capable of infecting different vertebrate species and 60 mosquito species. The infection in humans can be asymptomatic or it can have different clinical manifestations ranging from light febrile diseases to fatal meningoencephalitis. This paper presents recent findings on the activity of the West Nile virus in Europe, the USA and Serbia. Presented are the results of serological testing of human populations and animals in Serbia, and the methods of molecular diagnostics to prove the existence of the virus.

scholarly journals Transcriptional response to West Nile virus infection in the zebra finch ( Taeniopygia guttata )

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 170296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Newhouse ◽  
Erik K. Hofmeister ◽  
Christopher N. Balakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Taeniopygia Guttata ◽  
Reservoir Host ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Transmission Cycle

West Nile virus (WNV) is a widespread arbovirus that imposes a significant cost to both human and wildlife health. WNV exists in a bird-mosquito transmission cycle in which passerine birds act as the primary reservoir host. As a public health concern, the mammalian immune response to WNV has been studied in detail. Little, however, is known about the avian immune response to WNV. Avian taxa show variable susceptibility to WNV and what drives this variation is unknown. Thus, to study the immune response to WNV in birds, we experimentally infected captive zebra finches ( Taeniopygia guttata ). Zebra finches provide a useful model, as like many natural avian hosts they are moderately susceptible to WNV and thus provide sufficient viremia to infect mosquitoes. We performed RNAseq in spleen tissue during peak viremia to provide an overview of the transcriptional response. In general, we find strong parallels with the mammalian immune response to WNV, including upregulation of five genes in the Rig-I-like receptor signalling pathway, and offer insights into avian-specific responses. Together with complementary immunological assays, we provide a model of the avian immune response to WNV and set the stage for future comparative studies among variably susceptible populations and species.

scholarly journals Comparative Pathology of West Nile Virus in Humans and Non-Human Animals

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex D. Byas ◽  
Gregory D. Ebel
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Systemic Disease ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Virus Propagation ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
Neurologic Sequelae ◽  
The Central Nervous System

West Nile virus (WNV) continues to be a major cause of human arboviral neuroinvasive disease. Susceptible non-human vertebrates are particularly diverse, ranging from commonly affected birds and horses to less commonly affected species such as alligators. This review summarizes the pathology caused by West Nile virus during natural infections of humans and non-human animals. While the most well-known findings in human infection involve the central nervous system, WNV can also cause significant lesions in the heart, kidneys and eyes. Time has also revealed chronic neurologic sequelae related to prior human WNV infection. Similarly, neurologic disease is a prominent manifestation of WNV infection in most non-human non-host animals. However, in some avian species, which serve as the vertebrate host for WNV maintenance in nature, severe systemic disease can occur, with neurologic, cardiac, intestinal and renal injury leading to death. The pathology seen in experimental animal models of West Nile virus infection and knowledge gains on viral pathogenesis derived from these animal models are also briefly discussed. A gap in the current literature exists regarding the relationship between the neurotropic nature of WNV in vertebrates, virus propagation and transmission in nature. This and other knowledge gaps, and future directions for research into WNV pathology, are addressed.

Cochlear-Vestibular Impairment due to West Nile Virus Infection

2019 ◽  
Vol 128 (12) ◽  
pp. 1198-1202
Author(s):  
Daniela Parrino ◽  
Giuseppe Brescia ◽  
Maria Vittoria Trimarchi ◽  
Giulia Tealdo ◽  
Lolita Sasset ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Vestibular Function ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Neuroinvasive Disease ◽  
A Prospective Study ◽  
First Time

Objectives: West Nile virus (WNV) has been spreading over the last 20 years. Human infection is asymptomatic in most cases. When the disease becomes clinically manifest, it may involve a range of issues, from a mild infection with flu-like symptoms to a neuroinvasive disease. Albeit rarely, WNV-associated sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) has also been reported. Here we describe two new cases of SNHL and balance impairment caused by WNV infection. Methods: The patients were investigated with repeated audiometric tests and, for the first time, videonystagmography was also used. Results: Unlike findings in the few other published cases, an improvement in audiometric thresholds and vestibular function was documented in both of our patients. Conclusions: In the light of our findings, a prospective study would be warranted on a large series of patients with WNV infection in order: (i) to better define the epidemiology of the related cochlear-vestibular involvement; and (ii) to elucidate the virus-related changes to peripheral and central auditory and vestibular functions.

Immunopathogenesis of West Nile Virus infection

Curare ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayra Diosa-Toro ◽  
Juan Carlos Hernández-López
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Neurological Disease ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Pathological Response ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Peripheral Tissues ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
The World ◽  
The Central Nervous System

<p>The reappearance of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in last years has highlighted that arthropod-borne diseases are not circumscribed to tropical regions of the world. WNV is maintained in enzootic cycles involving, <em>Culex spp</em>. mosquitoes and avian hosts, with epizootic spread to mammals, including humans. Human infection results in mild symptomatic illness in 25% of cases or neurological disease in less than 1% of infected persons. Additional understandings on how WNV interacts with its hosts is recently growing; the virus exploits immune system, both at the peripheral tissues and the central nervous system, which could explain the differences in virulence, progression and severity of WNV infection. The continuing spread of WNV, combined with the lack of specific therapeutics or vaccines to combat or prevent infection, imparts a pressing need to identify the viral and host processes that control the outcome and immunity to WNV infection. Here, we provide an overview of a subset of information regarding the immune-pathological response generated during WNV infection.</p>

scholarly journals Incidence of West Nile virus infection in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area during the 2012 epidemic

2016 ◽  
Vol 145 (12) ◽  
pp. 2536-2544 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. WILLIAMSON ◽  
B. CUSTER ◽  
B. J. BIGGERSTAFF ◽  
R. S. LANCIOTTI ◽  
M. H. SAYERS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fort Worth ◽  
West Nile ◽  
The North ◽  
Increased Risk

SUMMARYThe 2012 West Nile virus (WNV) epidemic was the largest since 2003 and the North Texas region was the most heavily impacted. We conducted a serosurvey of blood donors from four counties in the Dallas–Fort Worth area to characterize the epidemic. Blood donor specimens collected in November 2012 were tested for WNV-specific antibodies. Donors positive for WNV-specific IgG, IgM, and neutralizing antibodies were considered to have been infected in 2012. This number was adjusted using a multi-step process that accounted for timing of IgM seroreversion determined from previous longitudinal studies of WNV-infected donors. Of 4971 donations screened, 139 (2·8%) were confirmed WNV IgG positive, and 69 (1·4%) had IgM indicating infection in 2012. After adjusting for timing of sampling and potential seroreversion, we estimated that 1·8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·5–2·2] of the adult population in the Dallas–Fort Worth area were infected during 2012. The resulting overall estimate for the ratio of infections to reported WNV neuroinvasive disease (WNND) cases was 238:1 (95% CI 192–290), with significantly increased risk of WNND in older age groups. These findings were very similar to previous estimates of infections per WNND case, indicating no change in virulence as WNV evolved into an endemic infection in the United States.

scholarly journals Transcriptional response to West Nile virus infection in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), a songbird model for immune function

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J Newhouse ◽  
Erik K Hofmeister ◽  
Christopher N Balakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Taeniopygia Guttata ◽  
Reservoir Host ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
West Nile ◽  
Transmission Cycle

West Nile Virus (WNV) is the one of most widespread arboviruses worldwide. WNV exists in a bird-mosquito transmission cycle where passerine birds act as the primary reservoir host. As a public health concern, the mammalian immune response to WNV has been studied in detail. Little, however, is known about the avian immune response to WNV. Avian taxa show variable susceptibility to WNV and what drives this variation is unknown. Thus, to study the immune response to WNV in birds, we experimentally infected captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Zebra finches provide a useful model, as like many natural avian hosts they are moderately susceptible to WNV and thus provide sufficient viremia to infect mosquitoes. We performed splenic RNAseq during peak viremia to provide an overview of the transcriptional response. In general, we find strong parallels with the mammalian immune response to WNV, including up-regulation of five genes in the Rig-I-like receptor signaling pathway, and offer insights into avian specific responses. Together with complementary immunological assays, we provide a model of the avian immune response to WNV and set the stage for future comparative studies among variably susceptible populations and species.

scholarly journals Two linked cases of West Nile virus (WNV) acquired by Irish tourists in the Algarve, Portugal

2004 ◽  
Vol 8 (32) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
◽  
◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Nile Virus ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
West Nile Virus Infection ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
West Nile

On 21 July 2004, Ireland’s National Virus Reference Laboratory reported two suspected cases of West Nile virus infection to the National Disease Surveillance Centre. It is thought that both patients were exposed in the Algarve region of Portugal

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