Detection of West Nile virus lineage 2 in Culex mosquitoes, Greece, 2012

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2013 Sep;13(9):682-4. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1212. Epub 2013 May 22.

Abstract

To gain insight into the strain(s) causing human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in Greece in 2012, mosquitoes were collected and tested for probable WNV infection. WNV lineage 2 sequences were obtained from two of 14 Culex spp. pools collected in Xanthi Prefecture, and especially in the municipality with the highest incidence in Greece. As in the 2 previous years, the strain contains the H249P substitution in the NS3 protein. It seems that this specific strain is fully established in Greece and causes large-scale outbreaks. Thus, prevention and control measures have to be taken, while enhanced surveillance is needed.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Culex / virology*
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Greece / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Insect Vectors / virology*
  • RNA Helicases / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Serine Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins / genetics*
  • West Nile Fever / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever / virology*
  • West Nile virus / classification
  • West Nile virus / genetics
  • West Nile virus / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • NS3 protein, flavivirus
  • Viral Nonstructural Proteins
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • RNA Helicases