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pigeon rotavirus a genotype g18p17-associated disease outbreaks after fancy pigeon shows in germany - a case series.pigeon rotavirus a (rva) isolates of genotype g18p[17] are causing disease outbreaks and fatalities in pigeon lofts in australia, germany, belgium, denmark and usa since 2016. most disease outbreaks have been reported from juvenile pigeons (columba livia forma domestica). however, reports on rva-associated disease outbreaks in fancy pigeons in connection with fancy pigeon shows in germany are rare.202133588462
a scoping review of west nile virus seroprevalence studies among african equids.west nile virus (wnv) is an emerging and re-emerging zoonotic flavivirus first identified in and endemic to africa. the virus is transmitted between birds by biting mosquitoes, with equids and humans being incidental hosts. the majority of infected incidental hosts display no or only mild clinical signs, but a fraction develop encephalitis. the aim of this scoping review was to identify and evaluate primary research on the presence of antibodies to wnv among african equids. three bibliographic d ...202134358049
west nile virus seroprevalence in a selected donkey population of namibia.west nile virus (wnv) is a mosquito-borne virus enzootically maintained in birds. however, it can incidentally infect other species, leading to sometimes severe clinical consequences like in horses and especially human beings. despite the topic relevance, the presence and distribution of wnv are currently unknown in namibia. several countries implement surveillance systems based on virus detection in birds, mosquitoes, and vertebrate species including horses. the present study aimed to fill this ...202134222404
a bacterially-expressed recombinant envelope protein from usutu virus induces neutralizing antibodies in rabbits.recently, an emerging flavivirus, usutu virus (usuv), has caused an epidemic among birds in europe, resulting in a massive die-off in eurasian blackbirds. currently found only in europe and africa, it can be envisioned that usutu virus will follow the path of other flaviviruses, like west nile virus and zika virus, and will spread via its mosquito vectors and bird hosts to other parts of the world. several cases of human infections by usutu virus have already been published. anticipating this sp ...202133669414
west nile and usutu virus infections in wild birds admitted to rehabilitation centres in extremadura, western spain, 2017-2019.west nile virus (wnv) is an emerging flavivirus transmitted generally by mosquitoes of culex genus. it is maintained in an enzootic life cycle where birds act as reservoir hosts. humans and horses are also susceptible to infection, and occasionally, they suffer from neurological complications. however, they do not transmit the virus to other vectors, behaving as dead-end hosts. sporadic wnv outbreaks observed in horses and wild birds from extremadura (western spain) during 2016 and 2017 seasons ...202133677369
west nile and usutu viruses' surveillance in birds of the province of ferrara, italy, from 2015 to 2019.west nile (wnv) and usutu (usuv) viruses are mosquito-borne flaviviruses. thanks to their importance as zoonotic diseases, a regional plan for surveillance of arboviruses was implemented in emilia-romagna in 2009. the province of ferrara belongs to the emilia-romagna region, and it is an endemic territory for these viruses, with favorable ecological conditions for abundance of mosquitoes and wild birds. from 2015 to 2019, we collected 1842 dead-found birds at a wildlife rehabilitation center, wh ...202134372573
previous usutu virus exposure partially protects magpies (pica pica) against west nile virus disease but does not prevent horizontal transmission.the mosquito-borne flaviviruses usuv and wnv are known to co-circulate in large parts of europe. both are a public health concern, and usuv has been the cause of epizootics in both wild and domestic birds, and neurological cases in humans in europe. here, we explore the susceptibility of magpies to experimental usuv infection, and how previous exposure to usuv would affect infection with wnv. none of the magpies exposed to usuv showed clinical signs, viremia, or detectable neutralizing antibodie ...202134372622
co-infections: simultaneous detections of west nile virus and usutu virus in birds from germany.the emergence of west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv) in europe resulted in significant outbreaks leading to avifauna mortality and human infections. both viruses have overlapping geographical, host and vector ranges, and are often co-circulating in europe. in germany, a nationwide bird surveillance network was established to monitor these zoonotic arthropod-borne viruses in migratory and resident birds. in this framework, co-infections with wnv and usuv were detected in six dead birds c ...202133655706
a sentinel serological study in selected zoo animals to assess early detection of west nile and usutu virus circulation in slovenia.monitoring infectious diseases is a crucial part of preventive veterinary medicine in zoological collections. this zoo environment contains a great variety of animal species that are in contact with wildlife species as a potential source of infectious diseases. wild birds may be a source of west nile virus (wnv) and usutu (usuv) virus, which are both emerging pathogens of rising concern. the aim of this study was to use zoo animals as sentinels for the early detection of wnv and usuv in slovenia ...202133917545
effect of blood source on vector competence of culex pipiens biotypes for usutu virus.infectious blood meal experiments have been frequently performed with different virus-vector combinations to assess the transmission potential of arthropod-borne (arbo)viruses. a wide variety of host blood sources have been used to deliver arboviruses to their arthropod vectors in laboratory studies. the type of blood used during vector competence experiments does not always reflect the blood from the viremic vertebrate hosts in the field, but little is known about the effect of blood source on ...202133832527
pathogenesis and shedding of usutu virus in juvenile chickens.usutu virus (usuv; family: flaviviridae, genus: flavivirus), is an emerging zoonotic arbovirus that causes severe neuroinvasive disease in humans and has been implicated in the loss of breeding bird populations in europe. usuv is maintained in an enzootic cycle between ornithophilic mosquitos and wild birds. as a member of the japanese encephalitis serocomplex, usuv is closely related to west nile virus (wnv) and st. louis encephalitis virus (slev), both neuroinvasive arboviruses endemic in wild ...202133769213
diplotriaena obtusa infection in an eurasian blue tit (cyanistes caeruleus) in germany. pathology and phylogenetic analysis.diplotriaena obtusa is a nematode found in air sacs of a wide number of birds, including passerine species. during a period of increased mortality of blue tits (cyanistes caeruleus) in germany, we collected adult nematode worms from the air sacs of a deceased male blue tit. the nematodes showed morphological features consistent with diplotriaena ssp. a polymerase chain reaction (pcr) assay targeting the small subunit (ssu) 18s rrna gene identified the parasite species as diplotriaena obtusa. phy ...202033678381
experimental usutu virus infection in domestic canaries serinus canaria.usutu virus (usuv) is a neurotropic flavivirus closely related to west nile virus (wnv). its enzootic cycle mainly involves mosquitoes and birds. human infection can occur with occasional, but sometimes severe, neurological complications. since its emergence and spread in europe over the last two decades, usuv has been linked to significant avian outbreaks, especially among passeriformes, including european blackbirds (turdus merula). strikingly, no in vivo avian model exists so far to study thi ...202032023880
first serological evidence of west nile virus infection in wild birds in northern algeria.while the epidemiology of flaviviruses has been extensively studied in most of the mediterranean basin, little is known about the current situation in algeria. in order to detect the circulation of west nile (wnv) and usutu viruses (usuv) in kabylia, 165 sera were collected from two wild birds species, namely the long distance migrant turdus philomelos (song thrush) (n = 92) and the resident passer domesticus (house sparrow) (n = 73). a total of 154 sera were first analyzed by commercial competi ...202031945717
evidence of exposure to usuv and wnv in zoo animals in france.west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv) are zoonotic arboviruses. these flaviviruses are mainly maintained in the environment through an enzootic cycle involving mosquitoes and birds. horses and humans are incidental, dead-end hosts, but can develop severe neurological disorders. nevertheless, there is little data regarding the involvement of other mammals in the epidemiology of these arboviruses. in this study, we performed a serosurvey to assess exposure to these viruses in captive birds ...202033266071
epidemiology of usutu virus: the european scenario.usutu virus (usuv) is an emerging arbovirus isolated in 1959 (usutu river, swaziland). previously restricted to sub-saharan africa, the virus was introduced in europe in 1996. while the usuv has received little attention in africa, the virus emergence has prompted numerous studies with robust epidemiological surveillance programs in europe. the natural transmission cycle of usuv involves mosquitoes (vectors) and birds (amplifying hosts) with humans and other mammals considered incidental ("dead- ...202032858963
serological evidence of west nile virus infection among birds and horses in some geographical locations of iran.recent expansion of arboviruses such as west nile (wnv), usutu (usuv), and tick-borne encephalitis (tbev) over their natural range of distribution needs strengthening their surveillance. as common viral vertebrate hosts, birds and horses deserve special attention with routine serological surveillance. here, we estimated the seroprevalence of wnv, usuv and tbev in 160 migrating/resident birds and 60 horses sampled in mazandaran, golestan, north khorasan, kordestan provinces and golestan province ...202032858762
evidence of exposure to zoonotic flaviviruses in zoo mammals in spain and their potential role as sentinel species.a serosurvey was carried out to assess emerging flavivirus exposure in zoo mammals in spain and to determine the dynamics of seropositivity in species that were longitudinally sampled during the study period. sera from 570 zoo animals belonging to 120 mammal species were collected at ten zoos (a-j) in spain between 2002 and 2019. twenty-one of these animals, belonging to ten different species, were sampled longitudinally at four of the zoos during the study period. antigenically-related flavivir ...202032768215
serological evidence of west nile and usutu viruses circulation in domestic and wild birds in wetlands of mali and madagascar in 2008.the geographical distribution and impact on animal and human health of both west nile and usutu viruses, two flaviviruses of the japanese encephalitis complex, have been increasing during the past two decades. both viruses circulate in europe and africa within a natural cycle between wild birds and mosquitoes, mainly from the culex genus. we retrospectively analyzed sera from domestic and wild birds sampled in 2008 in two wetlands, namely the inner niger delta, mali, and the lake alaotra area, m ...202032197367
first serological evidence of west nile virus among equines and birds in kosovo, 2018-2019.this study was conducted to assess the presence of west nile virus (wnv) in kosovo by serological testing of apparently healthy local horses and free-range chicken, and it attempted to detect viral nucleic acid in birds and mosquitoes. between january 2018 and june 2019, 260 equine serum samples were collected, additionally 580 adult mosquitoes (53 pools) were grouped in for genera, including culex spp. (226 individuals; 26 pools), aedes spp. (136 individuals; 16 pools), anopheles spp. (184 indi ...202033090084
development and characterization of specific anti-usutu virus chicken-derived single chain variable fragment antibodies.usutu virus belongs to the japanese encephalitis serogroup within the flaviviridae family. mammals may become incidental hosts after the bite of an infected mosquito while birds act as the main reservoir. human cases have become more common recently and elicit various outcomes ranging from asymptomatic to severe illness including encephalitis. problematically, antisera against usutu virus cross-react with other flaviviruses such as the co-circulating west nile virus. as an approach to generate u ...202032829514
usutu virus epizootic in belgium in 2017 and 2018: evidence of virus endemization and ongoing introduction events.wildlife surveillance allowed the monitoring of the zoonotic mosquito-borne usutu virus (usuv) in birds and bats (pipistrellus pipistrellus) in southern belgium in 2017 and 2018. usuv-rna was detected in 69 birds (of 253) from 15 species, among which 7 species had not previously been reported to be susceptible to the infection. similarly, 2 bats (of 10) were detected positive by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (rt-qpcr). usuv-associated lesions were mainly found in e ...202031479400
usutu virus infection of embryonated chicken eggs and a chicken embryo-derived primary cell line.usutu virus (usuv) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, closely related to the west nile virus (wnv). similar to wnv, usuv may cause infections in humans, with occasional, but sometimes severe, neurological complications. further, usuv can be highly pathogenic in wild and captive birds and its circulation in europe has given rise to substantial avian death. adequate study models of this virus are still lacking but are critically needed to understand its pathogenesis and virulence spectrum. the chicke ...202032408481
study of usutu virus neuropathogenicity in mice and human cellular models.usutu virus (usuv), an african mosquito-borne flavivirus closely related to west nile virus, was first isolated in south africa in 1959. usuv emerged in europe two decades ago, causing notably massive mortality in eurasian blackbirds. usuv is attracting increasing attention due to its potential for emergence and its rapid spread in europe in recent years. although mainly asymptomatic or responsible for mild clinical signs, usuv was recently described as being associated with neurological disorde ...202032324736
detection of usutu virus infection in wild birds in the united kingdom, 2020.in august 2020, as part of a long-term disease surveillance programme, usutu virus was detected in five eurasian blackbirds (turdus merula) and one house sparrow (passer domesticus) from greater london, england. this was initially detected by reverse transcription-pcr and was confirmed by virus isolation and by immunohistochemical detection of flavivirus in tissues. phylogenetic analysis identified usutu virus african 3.2 lineage, which is prevalent in the netherlands and belgium, suggesting a p ...202033063656
genomic monitoring to understand the emergence and spread of usutu virus in the netherlands, 2016-2018.usutu virus (usuv) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus circulating in western europe that causes die-offs of mainly common blackbirds (turdus merula). in the netherlands, usuv was first detected in 2016, when it was identified as the likely cause of an outbreak in birds. in this study, dead blackbirds were collected, screened for the presence of usuv and submitted to nanopore-based sequencing. genomic sequences of 112 usuv were obtained and phylogenetic analysis showed that most viruses identified be ...202032071379
polymerase activity, protein-protein interaction, and cellular localization of the usutu virus ns5 protein.usutu virus (usuv) has become increasingly relevant in recent years, with large outbreaks that sporadically have affected humans being reported in wildlife. similarly to the rest of flaviviruses, usuv contains a positive-sense single-stranded rna genome which is replicated by the activity of nonstructural protein 5 (ns5). usuv ns5 shows high sequence identity with the remaining viruses in this genus. this permitted us to identify the predicted methyltransferase domain and the rna-dependent rna p ...201931685463
[usutu virus: the phantom menace].usutu virus, an arbovirus discovered in africa in 1959, has spread over a large part of europe over the last twenty years causing significant bird mortality as reported in france since 2015. the zoonotic risk, associated with this succession of avian epizootics in europe, deserves to be taken into account even if human cases remain rare to date. human infections are most often asymptomatic or present a benign clinical expression. however, neurological complications such as encephalitis or mening ...201930230467
[a new virus is coming to france: the usutu virus]. 201930793574
multiple lineages of usutu virus (flaviviridae, flavivirus) in blackbirds (turdus merula) and mosquitoes (culex pipiens, cx. modestus) in the czech republic (2016-2019).usutu virus (usuv) is a flavivirus (flaviviridae: flavivirus) of an african origin transmitted among its natural hosts (diverse species of birds) by mosquitoes. the virus was introduced multiple times to europe where it caused mortality of blackbirds (turdus merula) and certain other susceptible species of birds. in this study, we report detection of usuv rna in blackbirds, culex pipiens and cx. modestus mosquitoes in the czech republic, and isolation of 10 new czech usuv strains from carcasses ...201931744087
targeted surveillance reveals native and invasive mosquito species infected with usutu virus.the emergence of usutu virus (usuv) in europe was first reported in austria, 2001, and the virus has since spread to many european countries. initial outbreaks are marked by a mass die-off of european blackbirds (turdus merula) and other bird species. during outbreaks, the virus has been detected in pools of culex pipiens mosquitoes, and these mosquitoes are probably the most important enzootic vectors. beginning in 2017, a second wave of blackbird deaths associated with usuv was observed in eas ...201930665453
expanding usutu virus circulation in italy: detection in the lazio region, central italy, 2017 to 2018.blood donation screening for west nile virus (wnv) was mandatory in the lazio region in 2017 and 2018 (june-november) according to the national surveillance plan. in these years, all five donations reactive in wnv nucleic acid amplification tests harboured instead usutu virus (usuv). clade 'europe 2' was identified in four blood donations and a 2018 mosquito pool. the cocirculation of wnv and usuv in lazio warrants increased laboratory support and awareness of possible virus misidentification.201930670139
mosquito-borne epornitic flaviviruses: an update and review.west nile virus, usutu virus, bagaza virus, israel turkey encephalitis virus and tembusu virus currently constitute the five flaviviruses transmitted by mosquito bites with a marked pathogenicity for birds. they have been identified as the causative agents of severe neurological symptoms, drop in egg production and/or mortalities among avian hosts. they have also recently shown an expansion of their geographic distribution and/or a rise in cases of human infection. this paper is the first up-to- ...201930628886
usutu virus disease: a potential problem for north america?usutu virus is an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus initially identified in south africa in 1959 that is now circulating throughout parts of africa, europe, and the middle east. it is closely related to west nile virus, and has similar vectors, amplifying bird hosts, and epidemiology. usutu virus infection can occur in humans and may be asymptomatic or cause systemic (e.g., fever, rash, and hepatitis) or neuroinvasive (e.g., meningitis and encephalitis) disease. given few reported cases, the fu ...201931858483
surveillance of mosquito vectors in southern sweden for flaviviruses and sindbis virus.there are three human pathogenic bird-viruses transmitted by culex mosquitoes in europe: the alphavirus sindbis and the flaviviruses west nile virus and usutu virus. cases of sindbis fever occur in the north while the flaviviruses are reported from southern europe. in this study, 7933 culex pipiens/torrentium mosquitoes from southern sweden were screened by rtqpcr for these viruses. none of the mosquitoes were positive for viral rna. the importance of mosquito species composition is discussed as ...201931853338
west nile and usutu virus infections and challenges to blood safety in the european union.west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv) circulate in several european union (eu) countries. the risk of transfusion-transmitted west nile virus (tt-wnv) has been recognized, and preventive blood safety measures have been implemented. we summarized the applied interventions in the eu countries and assessed the safety of the blood supply by compiling data on wnv positivity among blood donors and on reported tt-wnv cases. the paucity of reported tt-wnv infections and the screening results sugg ...201931107223
prevalence and molecular epidemiology of west nile and usutu virus infections in croatia in the 'one health' context, 2018.in 2018, croatia reported the largest outbreak of west nile virus (wnv) infections as well as the re-occurrence of human usutu virus (usuv) infections. for the first time, fatal wnv and usuv infections were detected in wild birds. we analysed epidemiological characteristics and molecular epidemiology of wnv and usuv infections detected during 2018 transmission season. from april to november, 178 patients with neuroinvasive disease and 68 patients with febrile disease were tested for wnv and usuv ...201931067011
evidence for west nile virus and usutu virus infections in wild and resident birds in germany, 2017 and 2018.wild birds play an important role as reservoir hosts and vectors for zoonotic arboviruses and foster their spread. usutu virus (usuv) has been circulating endemically in germany since 2011, while west nile virus (wnv) was first diagnosed in several bird species and horses in 2018. in 2017 and 2018, we screened 1709 live wild and zoo birds with real-time polymerase chain reaction and serological assays. moreover, organ samples from bird carcasses submitted in 2017 were investigated. overall, 57 b ...201931340516
establishment of a cell culture model of persistent flaviviral infection: usutu virus shows sustained replication during passages and resistance to extinction by antiviral nucleosides.chronic viral disease constitutes a major global health problem, with several hundred million people affected and an associated elevated number of deaths. an increasing number of disorders caused by human flaviviruses are related to their capacity to establish a persistent infection. here we show that usutu virus (usuv), an emerging zoonotic flavivirus linked to sporadic neurologic disease in humans, can establish a persistent infection in cell culture. two independent lineages of vero cells sur ...201931212939
first evidence of fatal usutu virus natural infections in an anatidae, the common scoter (melanitta nigra).while fatal infections caused by the usutu virus appeared to concern only passerines (especially the blackbird) and strigiformes (especially the great gray owl), we report herein that the virus also naturally causes a fatal disease in an anseriforme species, the common scoter (melanitta nigra).201931135292
usutu virus infection in dutch blood donors.the screening of dutch blood donations for west nile virus (wnv) may be imminent, as wnv emerges in nearby countries and more donors travel to wnv-affected regions. since 2016 the related, mosquito-borne usutu virus (usuv) causes seasonal mortality in dutch birds. to what extent will human usuv infections affect dutch wnv donor screening?201931270821
west nile virus and usutu virus co-circulation in europe: epidemiology and implications.west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv) are neurotropic mosquito-borne flaviviruses that may infect humans. although wnv is much more widespread and plays a much larger role in human health, the two viruses are characterized by similar envelope antigens, clinical manifestations, and present overlapping in terms of geographic range of transmission, host, and vector species. this review highlights some of the most relevant aspects of wnv and usuv human infections in europe, and the possible i ...201931248051
influence of flavivirus co-circulation in serological diagnostics and surveillance: a model of study using west nile, usutu and bagaza viruses.this study aims at assessing the serological cross-reactions existing between three mosquito-borne flaviviruses with avian reservoirs co-circulating in europe: west nile (wnv), usutu (usuv) and bagaza (bagv). the study is useful for a better interpretation of serological results in diagnostics and surveillance. serum samples obtained from a natural host, the red-legged partridge (alectoris rufa), experimentally infected with wnv, usuv or bagv were analysed using two commercially available wnv co ...201931150146
west nile virus infection in individuals with pre-existing usutu virus immunity, northern italy, 2018.in 2018, there was a large west nile virus (wnv) outbreak in northern italy. we observed five atypical cases of wnv infection that were characterised by the presence of wnv rna and wnv igg at the time of diagnosis, but no igm response during follow-up. neutralisation assays demonstrated pre-existing usutu virus immunity in all patients. besides challenging diagnosis, the immunological crosstalk between the two viruses warrants further investigation on possible cross-protection or infection enhan ...201931138361
usutu virus isolated from rodents in senegal.usutu virus (usuv) is a culex-associated mosquito-borne flavivirus of the flaviviridae family. since its discovery in 1959, the virus has been isolated from birds, arthropods and humans in europe and africa. an increasing number of usutu virus infections in humans with neurological presentations have been reported. recently, the virus has been detected in bats and horses, which deviates from the currently proposed enzootic cycle of usuv involving several different avian and mosquito species. des ...201930795524
common vole (microtus arvalis) and bank vole (myodes glareolus) derived permanent cell lines differ in their susceptibility and replication kinetics of animal and zoonotic viruses.pathogenesis and reservoir host adaptation of animal and zoonotic viruses are poorly understood due to missing adequate cell culture and animal models. the bank vole (myodes glareolus) and common vole (microtus arvalis) serve as hosts for a variety of zoonotic pathogens. for a better understanding of virus association to a putative animal host, we generated two novel cell lines from bank voles of different evolutionary lineages and two common vole cell lines and assayed their susceptibility, rep ...201931513859
analysis of synonymous codon usage bias in flaviviridae virus.flaviviridae viruses are single-stranded, positive-sense rna viruses, which threat human constantly mediated by mosquitoes, ticks, and sandflies. considering the recent increase in the prevalence of the family virus and its risk potential, we investigated the codon usage pattern to understand its evolutionary processes and provide some useful data to develop the medications for most of flaviviridae viruses.201931346520
the human upper respiratory tract epithelium is susceptible to flaviviruses.flaviviruses replicate in a wide variety of species and have a broad cellular tropism. they are isolated from various body fluids, and zika virus (zikv), japanese encephalitis virus (jev), and west nile virus (wnv) rnas have been detected in nasopharyngeal swabs. consequently, we evaluated the cellular tropism and host responses upon zikv, jev, wnv, and usutu virus (usuv) infection using a relevant model of the human upper respiratory tract epithelium based on primary human nasal epithelial cell ...201931057517
antigenic relationship among zoonotic flaviviruses from italy.here we report studies of the antigenic relationship of west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv), two zoonotic flaviviruses from italy, together with a japanese encephalitis virus (jev) strain and compared them with their genetic relationship using the immunodominant viral e protein. thirty-nine isolates and reference strains were inactivated and used to immunize rabbits to produce hyper immune sera. serum samples were tested by neutralization against all isolates and results visualized by g ...201930517880
clinical and virological findings in patients with usutu virus infection, northern italy, 2018.backgroundusutu virus (usuv) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, which shares its transmission cycle with the phylogenetically related west nile virus (wnv). usuv circulates in several european countries and its activity has increased over the last 5 years.aimto describe human cases of usuv infection identified by surveillance for wnv and usuv infection in the veneto region of northern italy in 2018.methodsfrom 1 june to 30 november 2018, all cases of suspected autochthonous arbovirus infection and ...201931771697
evidence that passerine birds act as amplifying hosts for usutu virus circulation.environment determines the distribution and prevalence of vector-borne pathogens due to its direct and indirect effects on the hosts, vectors, and pathogens. to investigate the relationship between usutu virus occurrence and host biodiversity and to characterize the nidus of infection, we used field-based measures of host diversity and density (all birds and only passerines), vector abundance, landscape and usutu virus prevalence (mosquito infection rate), an emergent disease with a similar cycl ...201931628631
five emerging neuroinvasive arboviral diseases: cache valley, eastern equine encephalitis, jamestown canyon, powassan, and usutu.there are many arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) capable of neuroinvasion, with west nile virus being one of the most well known. in this review, we highlight five rarer emerging or reemerging arboviruses capable of neuroinvasion: cache valley, eastern equine encephalitis, jamestown canyon, powassan, and usutu viruses. cache valley and jamestown canyon viruses likely circulate throughout most of north america, while eastern equine encephalitis and powassan viruses typically circulate in the ...201931533182
different dynamics of usutu virus infections in austria and hungary, 2017-2018.usutu virus (usuv), a mosquito-borne flavivirus closely related to west nile virus, emerged in austria in 2001, when it caused a considerable mass-mortality of eurasian blackbirds. cases in birds increased until 2003 and quickly declined thereafter, presumably due to developing herd immunity. since 2006, no further cases were recorded, until two blackbirds were tested positive in 2016. in hungary, usuv first appeared in 2005 and has caused only sporadic infections since then. initially, the only ...201931505099
usutu virus: a new threat?usutu virus (usuv) is an emerging arbovirus that was first isolated in south africa in 1959. this flavivirus is maintained in the environment through a typical enzootic cycle involving mosquitoes and birds. usuv has spread to a large part of the european continent over the two decades mainly leading to substantial avian mortalities with a significant recrudescence of bird infections recorded throughout europe within the few last years. usuv infection in humans is considered to be most often asym ...201931364580
usutu virus: an arbovirus on the rise.the usutu virus (usuv) is a flavivirus that is drawing increasing attention because of its potential for emergence. first isolated in africa, it was introduced into europe where it caused significant outbreaks in birds, such as in austria in 2001. since then, its geographical distribution has rapidly expanded, with increased circulation, especially in the last few years. similar to west nile virus (wnv), the usuv enzootic transmission cycle involves culex mosquitoes as vectors, and birds as ampl ...201931336826
co-circulation of west nile and usutu flaviviruses in mosquitoes in slovakia, 2018.monitoring west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv) activity now has the highest priority among mosquito-borne pathogenic viruses circulating in the european union. this study documents a first time detection and the co-circulation of wnv lineage-2 (with the minimal prevalence of 0.46%) and usuv clade europe 2 (with the minimal prevalence of 0.25%) in mosquitoes from the same habitat of south-western slovakia and underlines necessity to perform rigorous surveillance in birds, mosquitoes, hor ...201931336825
extraordinary increase in west nile virus cases and first confirmed human usutu virus infection in hungary, 2018.backgroundduring the 2018 wnv transmission season, similarly to other endemic areas in europe, a large number of human west nile virus (wnv) infections were reported in hungary.aimswe summarise the epidemiological and laboratory findings of the 2018 transmission season and expand experiences in flavivirus differential diagnostics.methodsevery patient with clinical suspicion of acute wnv infection was in parallel tested for wnv, tick-borne encephalitis virus and usutu virus (usuv) by serological ...201931311619
flaviviruses in migratory passerines during spring stopover in a desert oasis.bird migration has long been hypothesized as the main mechanism for long-distance dispersal of flaviviruses, but the role of migratory birds in flaviviruses spillover is not well documented. in this study, we investigated the eco-epidemiology of west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv) in trans-saharan passerines during their spring stopover in southern tunisian oases. to do, we combined oral swab analysis and serological tools to assess whether migratory birds could be reaching these stopov ...201931090178
emerging arboviruses of medical importance in the mediterranean region.the epidemiology of viral infections transmitted by arthropods is changing due to a variety of parameters related to the virus, the host and the environment. the mediterranean region is highly affected by changes in the intensity and extension of global-scale climate patterns, and, due to its location, it provides a vulnerable environment for emergence of arboviral diseases. the main arboviruses that pose currently a public health threat in the mediterranean region are west nile virus and crimea ...201930928817
evaluation of honey-baited fta cards in combination with different mosquito traps in an area of low arbovirus prevalence.the threat of mosquito-borne diseases is increasing in continental europe as demonstrated by several autochthonous chikungunya, dengue and west nile virus outbreaks. in switzerland, despite the presence of competent vectors, routine surveillance of arboviruses in mosquitoes is not being carried out, mainly due to the high costs associated with the need of a constant cold chain and laborious processing of thousands of mosquitoes. an alternative approach is using honey-baited nucleic acid preservi ...201931753035
emerging trends in the epidemiology of west nile and usutu virus infections in southern europe.the epidemiology of west nile (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv) has changed dramatically over the past two decades. since 1999, there have been regular reports of wnv outbreaks and the virus has expanded its area of circulation in many southern european countries. after emerging in italy in 1996, usuv has spread to other countries causing mortality in several bird species. in 2009, usuv seroconversion in horses was reported in italy. co-circulation of both viruses was detected in humans, horses and b ...201931867347
exposure of wild ungulates to the usutu and tick-borne encephalitis viruses in france in 2009-2014: evidence of undetected flavivirus circulation a decade ago.abstract: flaviviruses have become increasingly important pathogens in europe over the past few decades. a better understanding of the spatiotemporal distribution of flaviviruses in france is needed to better define risk areas and to gain knowledge of the dynamics of virus transmission cycles. serum samples from 1014 wild boar and 758 roe deer from 16 departments (administrative units) in france collected from 2009 to 2014 were screened for flavivirus antibodies using a competitive elisa (celisa ...201931861683
towards high quality real-time whole genome sequencing during outbreaks using usutu virus as example.recently, protocols for amplicon based whole genome sequencing using nanopore technology have been described for ebola virus, zika virus, yellow fever virus and west nile virus. however, there is some debate regarding reliability of sequencing using this technology, which is important for applications beyond diagnosis such as linking lineages to outbreaks, tracking transmission pathways and pockets of circulation, or mapping specific markers. to our knowledge, no in depth analyses of the require ...201931014969
serological evidence of mosquito-borne flaviviruses circulation in hunting dogs in campania region, italy.a flavivirus survey on 183 hunting dogs was conducted in campania region, southern italy. the seroprevalence value of 40.43% (74/183, 95% confidence intervals [cis] 33.37-47.49) detected in our study using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent serologic assay (celisa) proves a considerable level of flavivirus exposition of these animals. among the 74 celisa-positive sera, seroneutralization (sn) test showed that 24 sera resulted positive for usutu virus with an overall prevalence of 13.11% ( ...201930160624
impact of genetic diversity on biological characteristics of usutu virus strains in africa.usutu virus (usuv) previously restricted to africa where it caused mild infections, emerged in 2001 in europe and caused more severe infections among birds and humans with neurological forms, suggesting an adaptation and increasing virulence. this evolution suggests the need to better understand usuv transmission patterns for assessing risks and to develop control strategies. phylogenetic analysis conducted in africa showed low genetic diversity of african usuv strains except for one human and t ...201931521764
evidence for infection but not transmission of zika virus by aedes albopictus (diptera: culicidae) from spain.a number of mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue virus (denv), usutu virus (usuv), west nile virus (wnv) are autochthonously transmitted in europe and six invasive mosquito species have been detected in this temperate region. this has increased the risk for the emergence of further mosquito-borne diseases. however, there is a paucity of information on whether european populations of invasive mosquito species are competent to transmit arboviruses. in this study, the susceptibility of aedes albop ...201931053164
a serosurvey of flavivirus infection in horses and birds in slovakia.in central europe, at least three flaviviruses circulate among vectors and vertebrate hosts. west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv) are mosquito-borne viruses maintained in the nature by enzootic cycle between mosquitoes and birds. tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) is a flavivirus causing annual human cases in slovakia. the aim of this study is the prevalence assessment of flavivirus infections in horses (n = 145) and birds (n = 109) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) and conf ...201829437548
a survey on west nile and usutu viruses in horses and birds in poland.west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv) are members of the family flaviviridae which, natural life cycles involve mosquito-bird-mosquito transmission. both represent emerging viruses in europe with potential to cause neuroinvasive disease in humans. this study investigates the seroprevalence of serum neutralizing antibodies to wnv and to usuv in birds and in horses in poland. antibodies against wnv and usuv were detected in 5 (35.7%) and in 1 (7.14%) of 14 birds and in 62 (15.08%) and in 11 ...201829462983
human usutu virus infection with atypical neurologic presentation, montpellier, france, 2016.infection with usutu virus (usuv) has been recently associated with neurologic disorders, such as encephalitis or meningoencephalitis, in humans. these findings indicate that usuv is a potential health threat. we report an acute human infection with usuv in france putatively associated with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic facial paralysis.201829664365
are tree squirrels involved in the circulation of flaviviruses in italy?west nile virus (wnv), usutu virus (usuv) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) are emerging zoonotic flaviviruses (family flaviviridae), which have circulated in europe in the past decade. a cross-sectional study was conducted to assess exposure to these antigenically related flaviviruses in eastern grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis) in italy. seventeen out of 158 (10.8%; ci95% : 5.9-15.6) squirrels' sera tested through belisa had antibodies against flaviviruses. specific neutralizing ant ...201829635877
exposure to west nile virus and tick-borne encephalitis virus in dogs in spain.in the past decade, the spread of emerging zoonotic flaviviruses (genus flavivirus, family flaviviridae) has been reported in many regions worldwide, representing a threat to both human and animal health. a serosurvey was carried out to assess exposure and risk factors associated with antigenically related flaviviruses, particularly west nile virus (wnv), usutu virus (usuv) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev), in dogs in spain. flavivirus antibodies were detected in 39 of 815 dogs (4.8%; 95 ...201829322674
high-throughput neutralization assay for multiple flaviviruses based on single-round infectious particles using dengue virus type 1 reporter replicon.diseases caused by the genus flavivirus, including dengue virus (denv) and zika virus (zikv), have a serious impact on public health worldwide. due to serological cross-reactivity among flaviviruses, current enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) for igm/g cannot reliably distinguish between infection by different flaviviruses. in this study, we developed a reporter-based neutralization assay using single-round infectious particles (srips) derived from representative flaviviruses. srips were ...201830413742
usutu virus in cerebrospinal fluid: a 2-year survey in a tertiary care hospital, geneva, switzerland.in 2009, the usutu virus (usuv) was first reported as a cause of human neuroinvasive disorders. in switzerland, usuv has been detected in wild birds with a seroprevalence of up to 6.59% in captive specimens sampled from zoo enclosures. this study investigates the clinical prevalence of usuv in human acute neuroinvasive disorders in switzerland. two hundred and fifty-eight cerebrospinal fluid samples collected between 2015 and 2017 for routine clinical care in a tertiary level hospital (geneva) w ...201828976585
emergence of two usutu virus lineages in culex pipiens mosquitoes in the camargue, france, 2015.usutu virus (usuv) was detected in 11 culex pipiens mosquito pools collected in 2015 in camargue (france) using quantitative real-time rt-pcr assays. phylogenetic analysis of recovered virus sequences identified usuv lineages africa 2 and africa 3, demonstrating the simultaneous occurrence of different strains within the mosquito population. this is the first report on usuv in mosquitoes from france that concurrently accompanied the emergence of usutu virus in blackbirds and a human case in fran ...201829592838
emerging mosquito-borne threats and the response from european and eastern mediterranean countries.mosquito-borne viruses are the cause of some of the greatest burdens to human health worldwide, particularly in tropical regions where both human populations and mosquito numbers are abundant. due to a combination of anthropogenic change, including the effects on global climate and wildlife migration there is strong evidence that temperate regions are undergoing repeated introduction of mosquito-borne viruses and the re-emergence of viruses that previously were not detected by surveillance. in e ...201830544521
complete coding sequence of a novel picorna-like virus in a blackbird infected with usutu virus.using random high-throughput rna sequencing, the complete coding sequence of a novel picorna-like virus (a 9,228-nt contig containing 212,202 reads) was determined from a blackbird (turdus merula) infected with usutu virus. this sequence shares only 36% amino acid sequence identity with its closest homolog, arivirus 1, (an unclassified member of the order picornavirales), and shares its dicistronic genome arrangement. the new virus was therefore tentatively named "blackbird arilivirus" (ari-like ...201829442227
north american culex pipiens and culex quinquefasciatus are competent vectors for usutu virus.usutu virus (usuv) is a member of the japanese encephalitis virus (jev) serocomplex in the flaviviridae family. emergence of usuv in europe has led to disease burdens in birds and created increasing concern for the potential zoonotic transmission to humans. whilst usuv has not been detected in the new world, the identification of competent vector species in north america is critical in the assessment of the likelihood of its dispersal and establishment of enzootic transmission cycles. the object ...201830118480
west nile virus and usutu virus monitoring of wild birds in germany.by systematically setting up a unique nation-wide wild bird surveillance network, we monitored migratory and resident birds for zoonotic arthropod-borne virus infections, such as the flaviviruses west nile virus (wnv) and usutu virus (usuv). more than 1900 wild bird blood samples, from 20 orders and 136 different bird species, were collected between 2014 and 2016. samples were investigated by wnv and usuv-specific real-time polymerase chain reactions as well as by differentiating virus neutraliz ...201829361762
detection of usutu, sindbis, and batai viruses in mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) collected in germany, 2011⁻2016.due to the emergence of non-endemic mosquito vectors and the recent outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases, mosquito-borne pathogens are considered an increasing risk to public and animal health in europe. to obtain a status quo regarding mosquito-borne viruses and their vectors in germany, 97,648 mosquitoes collected from 2011 to 2016 throughout the country were screened for arboviruses. mosquitoes were identified to species, pooled in groups of up to 50 individuals according to sampling location ...201830041410
ongoing and emerging arbovirus threats in europe.during the last decades, arboviruses that are endemic in europe have expanded their geographic range and caused an increasing number of human outbreaks. these viruses include west nile virus, which is expanding its area of circulation in central and southern europe; usutu virus, with increasing evidence of a role in human disease; tick-borne encephalitis virus, which is being detected in northern areas and at higher altitudes as a consequence of climate warming; crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever v ...201830176404
west nile virus - a new infection in the slovak republic?the aim of the study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of west nile virus (wnv) among the variable population of eastern slovakia.201830817874
arboviruses isolated from the barkedji mosquito-based surveillance system, 2012-2013.a mosquito-based arbovirus surveillance system was set up at barkedji, senegal after the first outbreak of rift valley fever in west africa in 1988. this system was recently updated using more sampling methods and collecting in greater number of ponds and villages sites.201830541472
usutu virus induced mass mortalities of songbirds in central europe: are habitat models suitable to predict dead birds in unsampled regions?the usutu virus (usuv) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus closely related to the better known west nile virus, and it can cause mass mortalities of song birds. in the present paper, a dataset of georeferenced locations of usuv-positive birds was compiled and then used to map the geographical distribution of suitable usuv habitats in central europe. six habitat models, comprising bioclim, domain, maximum entropy model (maxent), generalized linear model (glm), boosted regression trees model (brt), and ...201830314779
crystal structure of usutu virus envelope protein in the pre-fusion state.usutu virus (usuv) is a mosquito-born flavivirus that can infect multiple avian and mammalian species. the viral surface envelope (e) protein functions to initiate the viral infection by recognizing cellular receptors and mediating the subsequent membrane fusion, and is therefore a key virulence factor involved in the pathogenesis of usuv. the structural features of usuv-e, however, remains un-investigated thus far.201830477514
evaluating the risk for usutu virus circulation in europe: comparison of environmental niche models and epidemiological models.usutu virus (usuv) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, reported in many countries of africa and europe, with an increasing spatial distribution and host range. recent outbreaks leading to regional declines of european common blackbird (turdus merula) populations and a rising number of human cases emphasize the need for increased awareness and spatial risk assessment.201830314528
in silico identification of immunodominant b-cell and t-cell epitopes of non-structural proteins of usutu virus.usutu virus (usuv; flavivirus) is a re-emerging pathogen invading the territories of european countries, asia, and africa. it is a mosquito-borne zoonotic virus with a bi-directional transmission route from animal to human and vice versa, and causes neurological disorders such as meningoencephalitis in bats, homo sapiens, birds and horses. due to limited availability of information about usuv and its deleterious effects on neural cells causing neurologic impairments, it becomes imperative to stu ...201830217517
first genetic characterization of usutu virus from culex pipiens mosquitoes serbia, 2014.since its first appearance in europe, usutu virus (usuv) diverged to several different genetic lineages. the virus was reported to date from multiple countries across europe (hungary, italy, switzerland, spain, germany, czech republic and belgium). considering the more frequently published impact of the virus on humans it is crucial to investigate locally circulating genetic variants and trace its evolution. we retrospectively analyzed mosquito samples from serbia vojvodina region, collected dur ...201829778766
prevalence of usutu and west nile virus antibodies in human sera, modena, italy, 2012.a collection of 3069 human sera collected in the area of the municipality of modena, emilia romagna, italy, was retrospectively investigated for specific antibodies against usutu (usuv) and west nile viruses (wnv). all the samples resulting positive using a preliminary screening test were analyzed with the plaque reduction neutralization test. overall, 24 sera were confirmed as positive for usuv (0.78%) and 13 for wnv (0.42%). the results suggest that in 2012, usuv was circulating more than wnv ...201829797606
favipiravir inhibits in vitro usutu virus replication and delays disease progression in an infection model in mice.usutu virus (usuv) is an emerging flavivirus that causes usutu disease mainly in birds, but infection of mammals such as rodents, bats and horses has also been demonstrated. in addition, human cases (both in immunocompromised and -competent individuals) were also reported. large outbreaks with other flaviviruses, such as west nile virus and zika virus, indicate that one should be vigilant for yet other outbreaks. to allow the identification of inhibitors of usuv replication, we established in vi ...201830385306
increase in human west nile and usutu virus infections, austria, 2018.between 28 june and 17 september 2018, 27 cases of human west nile virus infections were recorded in austria; four cases of west nile neuroinvasive disease, 11 cases of west nile fever, six infections detected by blood donation screening and six imported cases. in addition, 18 cases of human usutu virus infections (all blood donors) were recorded. this is the highest number of annual infections recorded in austria since the introduction of both viruses.201830376913
assessment of vector competence of uk mosquitoes for usutu virus of african origin.usutu virus (usuv) is an emerging zoonotic virus originally from sub-saharan africa. it has been introduced into europe on multiple occasions, causing substantial mortality within the eurasian blackbird (turdus merula) population. it is transmitted by the mosquito species culex pipiens in europe and africa. vector competence studies indicate that european strains of usuv are readily transmitted by indigenous cx. pipiens. however, there is limited information on the ability of an african strain t ...201829970149
usutu virus epizootic and plasmodium coinfection in eurasian blackbirds ( turdus merula) in flanders, belgium.at the end of the summer of 2016, unusually high levels of mortality were detected in passeriformes and strigiformes in flanders, belgium, mainly in eurasian blackbirds ( turdus merula). a passive surveillance program demonstrated a widespread usutu virus outbreak and revealed a coinfection with plasmodium in 99% of the dead passerine birds that were necropsied.201829889004
extinction of zika virus and usutu virus by lethal mutagenesis reveals different patterns of sensitivity to three mutagenic drugs.flaviviruses constitute an increasing source of public health concern, with growing numbers of pathogens causing disease and geographic spread to temperate climates. despite a large body of evidence supporting mutagenesis as a conceivable antiviral strategy, there are currently no data on the sensitivity to increased mutagenesis for zika virus (zikv) and usutu virus (usuv), two emerging flaviviral threats. in this study, we demonstrate that both viruses are sensitive to three ribonucleosides, fa ...201829914957
distribution of usutu virus in germany and its effect on breeding bird populations.usutu virus (usuv) is an emerging mosquitoborne flavivirus with an increasing number of reports from several countries in europe, where usuv infection has caused high avian mortality rates. however, 20 years after the first observed outbreak of usuv in europe, there is still no reliable assessment of the large-scale impact of usuv outbreaks on bird populations. in this study, we identified the areas suitable for usuv circulation in germany and analyzed the effects of usuv on breeding bird popula ...201729148399
mating behavior of the west nile virus vector culex pipiens - role of behavioral asymmetries.culex pipiens is a vector of west nile, rift valley fever, japanese encephalitis and usutu viruses. in agreement with the criteria of integrated vector management, several research efforts have been devoted to develop behavior-based control tools to fight mosquito vectors. however, our knowledge of mosquito mating biology and sexual communication is still patchy. despite the high relevance of c. pipiens as a vector of medical and veterinary importance, no studies on its mating behavior and the f ...201729288628
deleterious effect of usutu virus on human neural cells.in the last decade, the number of emerging flaviviruses described worldwide has increased considerably. among them zika virus (zikv) and usutu virus (usuv) are african mosquito-borne viruses that recently emerged. recently, zikv has been intensely studied due to major outbreaks associated with neonatal death and birth defects, as well as neurological symptoms. usuv pathogenesis remains largely unexplored, despite significant human and veterinary associated disorders. circulation of usuv in afric ...201728873445
usutu virus infections among blood donors, austria, july and august 2017 - raising awareness for diagnostic challenges.between july and august 2017, seven of 12,047 blood donations from eastern austria, reacted positive to west nile virus (wnv) in the cobas test (roche). follow-up investigations revealed usutu virus (usuv) nucleic acid in six of these. retrospective analyses of four blood donors diagnosed as wnv-infected in 2016 showed one usuv positive. blood transfusion services and public health authorities in usuv-endemic areas should be aware of a possible increase of human usuv infections.201729043962
usutu virus antibodies in blood donors and healthy forestry workers in the lombardy region, northern italy.usutu virus (usuv), a member of the genus flavivirus, is known to circulate at low prevalence in northern italy, and has been reported to cause overt infection. usuv was first reported in europe in 2001, but a retrospective study showed that it has been present in italy at least since 1996. seroprevalence data for usuv antibodies in sera are being collected in different european countries, showing circulation at low prevalence in human populations. interestingly, two consecutive studies in north ...201728759350
is usutu virus ready for prime time?although considered a neglected tropical disease, the mosquito-borne usutu virus has demonstrated signs of emergence from africa to europe. while human cases are infrequent, the potential for neuroinvasive infection, even in immunocompetent individuals, suggests a need for increased research into virus biology and pathogenesis, as well as rapid measures for diagnosis and environmental surveillance.201728619684
an overview of usutu virus.usutu virus (usuv) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that emerged in africa in the middle of the 16th century and currently widely circulates in several european countries. herein, we summarize current knowledge about usuv from ecology, epidemiology, phylogeny to clinical manifestations and diagnosis and discuss the role as human pathogen.201728602915
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