Adjustments to surveillance practices in the EU will enhance preparedness and public health response to emerging infectious diseases, thereby helping to contain human and economic costs. These are the conclusions of an article published this week in Science magazine, describing a study co-authored by ECDC.
Since the 21 June, ECDC has published on its website weekly updates on spatial distribution of West Nile fever cases in the European Union and neighbouring countries.
ECDC publishes weekly West Nile fever maps, based on information provided by the health authorities across Europe, with the objective to inform the national competent authorities about WNV affected areas.
ECDC West Nile fever maps are based on information provided by the health authorities across Europe with the objective to inform the national competent authorities about WNV affected areas.
In recent years human diseases due to mosquito-borne viruses were increasingly reported in Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), from the chikungunya virus in 2007 to the West Nile virus (WNV) in 2008. An extensive entomological survey was performed in 2009 to establish the presence and distribution of mosquito arboviruses in this region, with particular reference to flaviviruses.
The appearance of West Nile virus in New York in 1999 and the unprecedented panzootic that followed, have stimulated a major research effort in the western hemisphere and a new interest in the presence of this virus in the Old World. This review considers current understanding of the natural history of this pathogen, with particular regard to transmission in Europe.