In Germanythe health authorities notified the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on 12 July 2022 of the detection of virus West Nile (WN or West Nile virus) in an unidentified nocturnal raptor of the family Strigidae found dead on July 5 in a group of 4 birds of prey, in a zoo in Magdeburgin the Land of Saxony-Anhalt [Saxe-Anhalt].
The diagnosis was confirmed by viral isolation at the Landesamt für Verbraucherschutz Stendal Laboratoire local.
The virus is transmissible to humans.
Reminders on the virus West Nile
The virus West Nile is considered today as the Flavivirus the most common after dengue fever. It belongs to the family of Flaviviridae of the kind Flavivirus. It is migratory birds that act as reservoir animals for the West Nile virus. The West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes of the genus Culex : after biting infected birds, female mosquitoes become competent to transmit the virus to humans during a blood meal.
In the majority of cases (80%), West Nile virus infection is asymptomatic.
- The symptomatic forms of the disease are characterized by the sudden appearance of a high fever after 3 to 6 days of incubation. This fever is accompanied by headache and back pain, muscle aches, cough, swollen glands in the neck, and often a rash, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and symptoms respiratory.
- Neurological complications (meningitis, encephalitis) occur in less than 1% of cases. Even more rarely, other complications (hepatitis, pancreatitis or myocarditis) may appear.
Generally, the patient recovers spontaneously, sometimes with sequelae. But the viral infection can be fatal mainly in older adults.
To protect himself it is advisable to wear light-colored clothing with long sleeves, pants and socks in areas where mosquitoes are present, especially at dusk and dawn when they are most active; and protect yourself from mosquito bites by using insect repellent containing DEET.
Source: World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
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