Published Date: 2012-09-21 20:45:36
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> West Nile virus - Eurasia (12): Balkans
Archive Number: 20120921.1304610

WEST NILE VIRUS - EURASIA (12): BALKANS
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Date: Thu 20 Sep 2012
Source: The Guadrian [edited]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/20/five-die-west-nile-virus-balkans?newsfeed=true


At least 5 people in the Balkans have died from West Nile virus [infections] and several dozen others have been taken to hospital in the past 4 weeks, according to health authorities in Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Croatia.

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease usually found in temperate and tropical regions. While many cases are mild and have no symptoms, severe disease symptoms can include headaches, high fever, neck stiffness, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis.

Kosovo confirmed its 1st death on Wednesday, saying the victim was a woman from central Kosovo who died on 14 Sep [2012]. Macedonia's health officials said on Thursday [20 Sep 2012] one woman had died and 2 other people were infected with the virus.

A spokesman for the Kosovo health ministry told Reuters 2 other people who died recently were also suspected of having the same virus, but the cases had not been confirmed with laboratory blood tests.

In Serbia, 3 people have died and 35 taken to hospital since mid-August.

"This is the 1st time the West Nile virus [WNV] has been officially registered in Serbia," the country's department for public health said in a statement.

All the infected people were over 50 and had other chronic diseases, it said. Serbia's western neighbour Croatia has registered five probable cases of the virus but no deaths.

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[Yesterday's ProMED-mail post reported these cases in Serbia, Kosovo, and Croatia (see ProMED-mail archive no.20120920.1303163], but the report from Macedonia, above, is new. This just reinforces the evidence that WNV is broadly disseminated in the Balkans area, producing sporadic cases in humans and equine animals. - Mod.TY

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/240j.]

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