Serological evidence of co‐circulation of West Nile and Usutu viruses in equids from western Spain

• DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13810
• Publication Date: 2020-08-27T23:03:26Z
• Authors: Fátima Guerrero‐C...; Daniel Bravo‐Barriga; María Martín‐Cuervo; Pilar Aguilera‐Se...; Martina Ferraguti; Miguel Ángel Jimé...; Francisco Llorente; Juan Manuel Alonso; Eva Frontera
• Keywords: West Nile virus; Circulation (fluid dynamics)

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne emerging in Europe with capacity to cause neurological complications such as encephalitis or meningoencephalitis humans, birds equids. In Spain, WNV actively circulating mosquitoes, and horses different regions, but never has been deeply studied Extremadura. Therefore, the aim of this study was evaluate seroprevalence equids those areas analyse risk factors associated exposure virus. A total 199 out 725 presented antibodies against by competition ELISA (27.45%), while 22 were doubtful (3.03%). Anti-WNV IgM detected 16 (2.21%), 3 animals (0.41%). All ELISA-reactive positive/doubtful sera (N = 226) further tested micro-virus neutralization test (VNT), 143 confirmed positive for WNV, obtaining 19.72% western Spain. addition, specific USUV 11 24 equids, flavivirus species (detected test) could not be determined. The generalized linear mixed-effects models showed that significant individual infection age (adults) hair coat colour (light), whereas infections, it breed (pure). Data demonstrated are regions Given high found from areas, important improve surveillance programmes public health detect undiagnosed human cases establish vaccination programme equid herds these regions.