Cent Eur J Public Health 2018, 26(Supplement):S51-S55 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5287

West Nile virus - a new infection in the Slovak Republic?

Erik Dorko1, Andrea Bušová1, Tomáš Csank2, Eva Feketeová3, Kvetoslava Rimárová1, Jana Diabelková1, Róbert Čellár4, Matúš Bereš4, Miklós Gyuranecz5, Juraj Pistl2, Tamás Bakonyi6,7, Andrej Jenča Jr.8, Janka Jenčová8, Adriána Petrášová8
1 Department of Public Health and Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovak Republic
2 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Košice, Slovak Republic
3 Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice and Louis Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovak Republic
4 Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of Locomotory Apparatus, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice and Louis Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovak Republic
5 Institute for Veterinary Medical Research, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
6 Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
7 Viral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infectious Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
8 Department of Stomatology and Maxilofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice and Louis Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovak Republic

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) among the variable population of Eastern Slovakia.

Methods: A serologic survey was conducted using 464 serum samples. The basic demographic, epidemiologic and clinical information was obtained for each serum sample at the time of specimen collection. The presence of antibodies against WNV was investigated using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All the ELISA positive samples were further analysed by a neutralization test with WNV and Usutu virus.

Results: Three serum samples (0.65%) from the participants (N = 464) were considered positive for antibodies to WNV. A 29-year-old female was repeatedly exposed to mosquito bites working as a shepherdess and participating in many outdoor activities. Two other females (61 and 76 years old) were treated at the Department of Neurology due to monoparesis of the upper extremity, vertigo; both had a significant epidemiological history with frequent tick and mosquito bites and stay in an endemic region.

Conclusions: Although there was no evidence of WNV infection in the Slovak Republic, the epidemiological situation in the neighbouring countries warrants vigilance and appropriate measures, including the introduction of specific diagnostic tools into clinical practice. The constant monitoring of birds and mosquitoes also seems necessary.

Keywords: West Nile virus, mosquitoes, seroprevalence

Received: December 19, 2017; Revised: August 20, 2018; Accepted: August 20, 2018; Published: December 31, 2018  Show citation

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Dorko E, Bušová A, Csank T, Feketeová E, Rimárová K, Diabelková J, et al.. West Nile virus - a new infection in the Slovak Republic? Cent Eur J Public Health. 2018;26(Supplement):S51-55. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a5287. PubMed PMID: 30817874.
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