Giovanni Savini, Rossana Bruno
E-mail: g.savini@izs.it
Giovanni Savini (Instituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e Molise „G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy)
Virus Zapadnog Nila (ZN) prvi put je u Italiji bio dokazan 1998. godine. Premda je tada uzrokovao tešku bolest i uginuća u konja, bolest nije bila zabilježena u ljudi. Epidemiologija infekcije virusom Zapadnog Nila u Italiji znatno se promijenila nakon 2008. godine. Od tada se sve češće javlja s nervnim poremećajima u ljudi i konja. S ciljem promatranja kruženja i kontrole virusa ZN, u Italiji je na državnoj razini donesen nacionalni plan za provođenje programa seroloških, entomoloških i viroloških istraživanja neuroinvazivne bolesti uzrokovane virusom Zapadnog Nila. U sklopu promatranja proširenosti infekcije virusom ZN proučavana je evolucija različitih sojeva virusa od njegove pojave u sjevernim i istočnim područjima Italije do širenja na Jug i glavne talijanske otoke. U nekim područjima dokazana je istodobna aktivnost sojeva linije 1 i linije 2 virusa ZN. U izlaganju će biti govora o osnovnim epidemiološkim obilježjima infekcije posljednjih pet godina.
WEST NILE VIRUS IN ITALY, FIVE YEARS OF EPIDEMIC
Giovanni Savini and Rossana Bruno
OIE and National Reference Laboratory for West Nile
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e Molise “G. Caporale”
64100 Teramo, Italy
E-mail: g.savini@izs.itWest Nile virus (WNV) first appeared in Italy in 1998. Although the infection caused severe disease and deaths in horses, no cases were reported in humans at that time. Since 2008, the Italian epidemiological scenario of WNV has been dramatically changing with neurological diseases being increasingly observed in both, humans and horses. In order to monitor and control the WNV circulation, the Italian government implemented both a national serological, entomological and virological surveillance program and a national plan for West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease. Within the framework of WNV surveillance activities, it was possible to detect and monitor the progression and evolution of different strains of WNV from their entry in the North Eastern part to their spread into the South and main Islands of Italy. In some areas co-circulation of WNV strains belonging to lineage 1 and 2 was also evidenced. The presentation will describe the main features observed during these last five years of outbreak.