[Experimental assessment of the possible significance of argasid ticks in preserving the natural foci of West Nile virus infection].

Experiments indicated that the argasid ticks Alveonasus lahorensis were highly susceptible to West Nile virus when inoculated in the hemocoel. The virus concentration in the ticks reached high values when very low doses (0.01 PFU) of the pathogen were administered. The ticks kept at 3.0 +/- 1.0 degrees C retained the pathogen up to 116 days (a follow-up period). The infection rate of the ticks depending on the virus dose administered was in the range from 12 to 80%. The contaminated specimens successfully transmitted the virus to rabbits by blood suckling. The findings suggest that the argasid ticks may be involved in the preservation of West Nile virus in the interepidemic period and be responsible for the outbreak of this infection in summer and autumn months.

Detection of West Nile virus RNA (lineages 1 and 2) in an external quality assessment programme for laboratories screening blood and blood components for West Nile virus by nucleic acid amplification testing.

BACKGROUND: A second Italian external quality assessment programme was run in 2011 to assess the performance of blood transfusion centres in detecting West Nile virus RNA in plasma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Each participant received two panels containing negative samples and samples positive for West Nile virus lineages 1 and 2, some of which with a viral concentration close to or below the 95% limit of detection of the respective commercial nucleic acid amplification test assay: the PROCLEIX WNV assay or the Cobas TaqScreen West Nile virus test. RESULTS: Eleven laboratories took part in the external quality assessment programme. All of them correctly identified the positive samples with a viral concentration above the 95% limit of detection. No false positive results or pre-/post-analytical errors were observed. DISCUSSION: The External quality assessment programme run in 2011 allowed participants to assess the performance of the nucleic acid amplification test methods applied in their seasonal routine screening of blood donations. The results confirm the 95% limit of detection reported by the test kits' manufacturers for both West Nile virus lineages.