We report a case of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in a symptomatic woman living in Tuscany in 2007. A retrospective analysis on cerebrospinal fluids drawn from people affected by neurological diseases with unknown etiology allowed the identification of a case of WNV infection before the WNV outbreak in the Northeast Italy in 2008. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high level of epidemiological surveillance all over the Italian territory.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AutorinoGL, BattistiA, DeubelV, FerrariG, ForlettaR, GiovanniniA, LelliR, MurriS, SciclunaMT. West Nile virus epidemic in horses, Tuscany region, Italy. Emerg Infect Dis, 2002; 8:1372–1378.
2.
CalistriP, GiovanniniA, HubalekZ, IonescuA, MonacoF, SaviniG, LelliR. Epidemiology of West Nile in Europe and in the Mediterranean Basin. Open Virol J, 2010; 4:29–37.
3.
Department of Prevention and Communication, Ministry of Health, Italy. 2010. Circolare0033197-P-21/07/2010.
4.
HubalekZ, HalouzkaJ. West Nile fever-a reemerging mosquito-borne viral disease in Europe. Emerg Infect Dis, 1999; 5:643–650.
5.
KarabatsosN. International Catalogue of Arboviruses, Including Certain Other Viruses of Vertebrates, 3rd. San Antonio: American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, 1985.
6.
KulasekeraVL, KramerL, NasciRS, MostashariF, CherryB, TrockSC, GlaserC, MillerJR. West Nile virus infection in mosquitoes, birds, horses, and humans, Staten Island, New York, 2000. Emerg Infect Dis, 2001; 7:722–725.
7.
MaciniP, SquintaniG, FinarelliAC, AngeliniP, MartiniE, TambaM, DottoriM, BelliniR, SantiA, Loli PiccolominiL, PoC. Detection of West Nile virus infection in horses, Italy, September 2008. Euro Surveill, 2008; 13:pii=18990.
8.
RizzoC, VescioF, DeclichS, FinarelliAC, MaciniP, MattiviA, RossiniG, PiovesanC, BarzonL, PalùG, GobbiF, MacchiL, PavanA, MaguranoF, CiufoliniMG, NicolettiL, SalmasoS, RezzaG. West Nile virus transmission with human cases in Italy, August–September 2009. Euro Surveill, 2009; 14:pii=19353.
9.
RossiniG, CavriniF, PierroA, MaciniP, FinarelliAC, PoC, PeroniG, Di CaroA, CapobianchiM, NicolettiL, LandiniMP, SambriV. First human case of West Nile virus neuroinvasive infection in Italy, September 2008–case report. Euro Surveill, 2008; 13:pii=1900.
10.
SaviniG, MonacoF, CalistriP, LelliR. Phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus isolated in Italy in 2008. Euro Surveill., 2008; 13:19048.
11.
SpataroP, ScoglioME, ChiricoC. Visally, G, Macrì, B, Cannavò, G, Picerno, I. Seroprevalence study on the diffusion of the West Nile virus among blood donors, healthcare workers, jockeys, grooms and fowlers, veterinary surgeons and hunters in Messina (Italy)J Prev Med Hyg, 2008; 49:22–25.
