Published Date: 2012-09-07 16:54:57
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus - Eurasia (08): Serbia
Archive Number: 20120907.1285814

WEST NILE VIRUS - EURASIA (08): SERBIA
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Date: Thu 6 Sep 2012
Source: UB Alert [edited]
http://www.ubalert.com/Qn1


Deputy director Olga Dulovic of Belgrade's Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Diseases reported on Thursday [6 Sep 2012] that the West Nile virus [WNV] has claimed the lives of 3 elderly people in Serbia. The deaths occurred last month [August 2012], and Dulovic said doctors confirmed that the cause was viral encephalitis, although the patients had other medical complications.

On Wednesday [5 Sep 2012], Dulovic said that 16 more people were infected with West Nile virus, which is transmitted by the tiger mosquito [_Culex_ spp. are more likely vectors. - Mod.TY]. As of Wednesday, the total number of infected people in Serbia rose to 37. She added that the number represented the total by the end of August 2012, and there could be an increase in West Nile patients, depending on the level of activity of the mosquitoes in the succeeding days.

Earlier, Dulovic said about 20 patients had been admitted to hospitals with symptoms that indicated a possible encephalitis infection. It turned out that 2 of the patients were indeed infected with the dreaded virus, as it can sometimes take as long as 2 weeks to get the laboratory test results. However, the deputy director stressed that the public has no reason for concern since several types of viral encephalitis can be mild and even pass unnoticed. Meanwhile, Health Minister Slavica Djukic Dejanovic also stated that there is no risk of a West Nile virus epidemic in the country.

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ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts
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[The number of cases has increased from 20 cases with one death reported 3 days ago (4 Sep 2012, ProMED-mail archive no. 20120905.1281223) to 37 cases with 3 deaths yesterday (6 Sep 2012) reported here. It would be of interest to know whether the increase is due to laboratory results becoming available or whether these are new, recently acquired cases. It would also be of interest to know whether there are any equine WNV infections in this area. With several weeks of the WNV transmission season remaining, one wonders whether the increase in human WNV infections noted recently will continue and perhaps accelerate.

The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Serbia can be seen at http://healthmap.org/r/3jGD. - Mod.TY]

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