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Published Date: 2011-08-05 05:44:52
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus - Eurasia (04): Greece
Archive Number: 20110805.2359

WEST NILE VIRUS - EURASIA (04): GREECE
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Date: Thu 4 Aug 2011
Source: Eurosurveillance Edition 2011; 16 (31) [edited]
http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19933

Evidence of enzootic circulation of West Nile virus (Nea
Santa-Greece-2010, lineage 2), Greece, May to July 2011
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Abstract
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A West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance network including sentinel
chickens was deployed in Thessaloniki county, Greece, from May - July
2011. For the 1st time in summer 2011, a chicken WNV isolate from 6
Jul 2011 was identified molecularly. The partial NS3 sequence was
identical to that of the Nea Santa-Greece-2010 WNV lineage 2, detected
in central Macedonia [region] in 2010. This suggests that WNV is
actively circulating in central Macedonia and that it may have
overwintered in northern Greece.

Background
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During 2010, Greece underwent the 2nd largest West Nile virus (WNV)
epidemic in Europe in the last 2 decades, with 262 clinical human
cases and 35 fatalities. WNV lineage 2 was identified in 2 pools of
_Culex_ mosquitoes (Nea Santa-Greece-2010 virus) and in wild birds
that were sampled during the epidemic season of 2010 from areas in
close proximity to human cases. No active vector and arbovirus
surveillance system was in place in Greece before the epidemic in
2010. We initiated a monitoring programme in 2011.

Results
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Seroconversion of the 1st sentinel chicken was detected in the
agricultural area of west Thessaloniki in the city of Chalastra on 29
Jun [2011]. On 13 Jul [2011], a 2nd chicken seroconversion was
detected in the city of Agios Athanasios, followed by a 3rd chicken
seroconversion on 20 Jul [2011] in the same area.

Discussion
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Transmission in the sentinel chickens occurred immediately after the
1st significant _Culex_ population peak, as has been observed in
[other] WNV outbreaks. [The] 2 principal WNV vectors in Europe, _Cx.
pipiens- and _Cx. modestus_, are highly abundant in the agricultural
area of Thessaloniki and both species may be associated with the
transmission of the virus.

[Byline: A Chaskopoulou, C I Dovas, S C Chaintoutis, I Bouzala, G Ara,
M Papanastassopoulou]

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[It is encouraging to learn that a prospective West Nile virus
monitoring system has been put in place and is producing results than
can be useful for animal and human health authorities. This
information can be helpful in directing mosquito control and equine
vaccination efforts to the right places in a timely way. Ongoing
surveillance may be necessary in future years if the virus is
overwintering in Greece and may have become endemic there.

The full article, with references and geographic locations, is
available at the above URL.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map showing the location of
Thessaloniki in central Greece can be accessed at
http://healthmap.org/r/16yp. - Mod.TY]

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[2]
Date: Fri 29 Jul 2011
Source: Greece Greek Reporter [edited]
http://greece.greekreporter.com/2011/07/29/west-nile-virus-threatens-greece/

A case of West Nile encephalitis has been recorded in an adult in the
area of Karditsa, Greece. Local authorities are acting immediately to
launch prevention and control programs to minimize the spread of the
disease [virus]. The Hellenic Centers for Disease Control confirmed
the disease to be epidemic, with 257 cases confirmed last year [2010],
most of them in Central Macedonia [region] and Thessalia, of which 191
were severe encephalitis.

The president of the Hellenic Centers of Disease Control, TzenI
Kremastinou, stated that the West Nile virus still exists after 10
years in the USA, spreading now as a type of seasonal epidemic that
flares up during the summer period and continues into the fall, and
that more human cases are expected to be reported this summer in
Greece. Cases have already been recorded during the present summer
period in other European countries.

For the prevention and control of the West Nile virus threat in Greece
this year, a national network for epidemiological observation has been
[deployed] in the country that continuously conducts risk assessment
and [sends alarms to] the authorities for possible emerging risks.
Focusing especially in Central Macedonia, the measures for prevention
and control that are so far activated by the Hellenic Centers for
Disease Control include detecting bird carrier index, thriving [sic]
mosquito collection on 100 spots around Greece, along with recording
cases of human infection.

Official reports announced from the Hellenic Centers for Disease
Control to the Greek Reporter/News up to the weekend 23/24 Jul [2011]
referred to only 6 infections in pigeons and no human infection. On
Monday [24 Jul 2011], the Hellenic CDC announced the 1st human case of
the summer period 2011, clinically characterized as mild
encephalitis.

The Hellenic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention remind the
public that systematic personal precautions will reduce chances of
infection, and emphasize measures that need to be taken on a local
level, such as spraying methods and the elimination of stagnant
water.

[Byline: John Papagiannidis]

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Curiously, this report does not mention the sentinel chicken results
presented in the Eurosurveillance report, above, from 29 June to 20
July.

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Greece showing the location
of Kardista can be accessed at
http://healthmap.org/r/16yq. - Mod.TY]

See Also