Blood donor screening for West Nile virus (WNV) revealed acute Usutu virus (USUV) infection, Germany, September 2016

Euro Surveill. 2017 Apr 6;22(14):30501. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.14.30501.

Abstract

Between 1 June and 31 December 2016, 13,023 blood donations from the University Hospital Aachen in Germany were routinely screened for West Nile virus (WNV) RNA using the cobas TaqScreen WNV Test. On 28 September 2016, one blood donor was tested positive. Subsequent analysis revealed an acute Usutu virus (USUV) infection. During the ongoing USUV epizootics in Germany, blood transfusion services, public health authorities and clinicians should be aware of increased human USUV infections.

Keywords: Blood donor; Germany; PCR, Human infection; Usutu virus; West Nile virus; outbreak.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Blood Donors
  • Encephalitis Virus, Japanese / immunology
  • Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / immunology
  • Female
  • Flavivirus / genetics
  • Flavivirus / immunology
  • Flavivirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Flavivirus Infections / immunology
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Immunoglobulin M / immunology
  • Mass Screening
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • West Nile Fever / diagnosis*
  • West Nile Fever / immunology
  • West Nile virus / genetics
  • West Nile virus / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • RNA, Viral