Cases of a potentially deadly virus have been reported in Spain and Italy.
After the outbreaks dengue in Europa would put in Red alert to travelers in spring, cases of another potentially deadly virus transmitted by mosquitoes.
He West Nile virus has been detected in two people in Spain e Italia. According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the infections were contracted locally and not from trips to tropical regions.
The Italian case was discovered on June 20 in Modena, a city in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna. Follows a case detected in Sevilla (Spain) in March.
What is West Nile virus and what are its symptoms?
West Nile virus (WNV) can cause a fatal neurological disease in humans. It belongs to the group of viruses japanese encephalitisalong with others like dengue and the yellow fever.
Las aves are the natural hosts of the WNV, but usually spread by mosquitoes and, in a small number of cases, through blood transfusions, organ donations or pregnancies.
In about four out of five patients, WNV has no symptoms, but in the remaining 20% it develops into West Nile fever. Symptoms include high fever sudden, headache, neck stiffness y rash in the neck, arms or legs, and in more serious cases, seizures, muscle weakness and paralysis, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
Las people over 50 years oldespecially if they have underlying health problems, have more likely to become seriously ill. Less than 1% of people develop neurological infectionssuch as meningitis or encephalitis, and one in 10 cases is fatal.
Symptoms usually appear between two and six days after infectionbut they may take time up to 14 days or more to develop. In uncomplicated cases, they usually resolve within three to six days.
How to protect yourself against West Nile virus
Still there is no vaccine against West Nile virus, so the best way to protect yourself is avoid bites of mosquitoes. To do this, do not travel to affected areas when mosquitoes are most common, such as in summer, and reduce the time you spend outdoors in affected areas.
The virus was detected for the first time in it West Nile district of Uganda in 1937but can now be found in countries around the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Western and Central Asia, North America, and Southern and Eastern Europe.
Using mosquito repellent, covering your arms, legs, and feet, and keeping mosquitoes out of the room at night can also help. prevent infection. If you are not feeling well, especially if you have fevercontact your doctor and tell them where you have recently traveled.
Why are there more cases of mosquito-borne diseases in Europe?
Las record temperatures and other extreme weather events caused by climate change are causing a increase in virus outbreaks in Europe. “Europe is already seeing how the climate change is creating more favorable conditions for invasive mosquitoes to spread to previously unaffected areas and infect more people with diseases such as dengue,” Andrea Ammon, director of the European Center for the Prevention and Control of Diseases.
“He increase in international travel from countries where dengue is endemic will also increase the risk of imported cases, and inevitably also the risk of local outbreaks,” he added. locally acquired dengue cases in Europe they almost doubled between 2022 and 2023, and figures suggest it could be even more prevalent this year.
Where are infections most likely in Europe?
He tiger mosquito carrier of dengue is already established in 13 European countries: Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Romania.
He first big outbreak the VNO and Europa It was produced in Romania in 1996. Since then cases have been identified in European countries such as France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
In 2023they were notified 713 locally acquired cases in the EU/EEA in 123 different regions, 22 of which were seeing the infection for the first time. Tragically, 67 deaths were reported.
He case observed in Spain In March of this year there was unusually soon, probably due to warmer than usual weather. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control warns that the mosquito responsible for transmitting dengue and virus de Zika It is spreading further into northern, eastern and western Europe, and has recently established itself in Cyprus.
