Original scientific paper

West Nile Virus Outbreak in Humans in Croatia, 2012

Enrih Merdić ; »Josip Juraj Strossmayer« University, Department of Biology, Osijek, Croatia
Ljiljana Perić ; Clinics of Infectious Disease, University Hospital, Osijek, Croatia
Nenad Pendak ; General Hospital »Josip Ben~evi}«, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
Ivan Christian Kurolt ; University of Zagreb, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases »Dr. Fran Mihaljević«, Zagreb, Croatia
Mirta Sudarić Bogojević ; »Josip Juraj Strossmayer« University, Department of Biology, Osijek, Croatia
Alemka Markotić ; University of Zagreb, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases »Dr. Fran Mihaljevi}«, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

During August and September 2012, seven cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease were identified in three north- -eastern counties of Croatia. Four cases were reported in Osijek-Baranja County, two in Brod-Posavina County and one in Vukovar-Srijem County. The median age of the patients was 62.7 years. All patients were hospitalized for 2–5 weeks. The patients from Slavonski Brod had more severe clinical presentation of disease with prolonged hospitalization. Medi- cal entomological research was carried out in 64 localities, where 1785 mosquitoes were captured. Among the analyzed mosquitoes, 114 were determined to be Culex pipiens and subjected to molecular characterization for the presence of vi- rus. No viral RNA was detected in mosquitoes. Subsequent public health measures taken include mosquito control in all settlements where disease was detected.

Keywords

outbreak; West Nile neuroinvasive disease; human cases; mosquitoes; Croatia

Hrčak ID:

118300

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/118300

Publication date:

30.9.2013.

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