Assessment of West Nile Virus Lineage 2 Dynamics in Greece and Future Implications.
Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis
; 21(6): 466-474, 2021 06.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33857383
ABSTRACT
The emergence of West Nile Virus lineage 2 (WNV-2) has contributed to multiple major human outbreaks in Greece since 2010. Studies to date investigating biological and environmental factors that contribute to West Nile Virus (WNV) transmission have resulted in complex statistical models. We sought to examine open publicly available data to ascertain if a predictive risk assessment could be employed for WNV-2 in Greece. Based on accessible data, factors such as precipitation, temperature, and range of avian host species did not yield conclusive outcomes. However, by measuring the average rate of temperature change leading up to peak caseloads, we found a predictive characteristic to the timing of outbreaks. Detailed evolutionary studies revealed possible multiple introductions of WNV-2 in Europe, and that Greece acts through a source-sink inversion model, thereby allowing continued reseeding of WNV transmission each year by overwintering the Culex pipiens mosquito vector. Greece has proven an excellent model in WNV surveillance and has demonstrated the importance of rapid reporting for proper preparedness and response to vector-borne diseases.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
West Nile Fever
/
West Nile virus
/
Culex
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis
Journal subject:
DOENCAS TRANSMISSIVEIS
/
EPIDEMIOLOGIA
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States