First record of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) in Alberta: expanding distributions and ecotype patterns in a western Canadian province.

Culex pipiens is an invasive mosquito found in temperate regions globally. It is considered among the most important disease vectors worldwide and is responsible for the transmission of a range of pathogens, including West Nile virus, avian malaria, Saint Louis encephalitis, and filarial worms. Throughout its northern temperate range, this mosquito is found in 2 ecotypes: form pipiens and form molestus.

Eilat virus isolated from Culex univittatus mosquitoes from the Namibian Zambezi Region influences in vitro superinfection with alpha- and flaviviruses in a virus-species-dependent manner.

The genus Alphavirus harbors arboviruses of great concern, such as the Chikungunya virus and the equine encephalitis viruses. Transmission of pathogenic alphaviruses by mosquitoes could be influenced by insect-specific alphaviruses such as Eilat virus (EILV). However, insect-specific alphaviruses are rarely found in wild mosquitoes and only a few have been described in the literature.

RNA elements required for the high efficiency of West Nile virus-induced ribosomal frameshifting.

West Nile virus (WNV) requires programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting for translation of the viral genome. The efficiency of WNV frameshifting is among the highest known. However, it remains unclear why WNV exhibits such a high frameshifting efficiency.

Automated age grading of female Culex pipiens by an optical sensor system coupled to a mosquito trap.

Background: The age distribution of a mosquito population is a major determinant of its vectorial capacity. To contribute to disease transmission, a competent mosquito vector, carrying a pathogen, must live longer than the extrinsic incubation period of that pathogen to enable transmission to a new host. As such, determining the age of female mosquitoes is of significant interest for vector-borne diseases surveillance and control programs.

Exposure to West Nile Virus in Wild Lagomorphs in Spanish Mediterranean Ecosystems.

Background: West Nile virus (WNV) is the most widely distributed mosquito-borne flavivirus. Over the past decade, its spread across Europe has raised significant concerns for both public and animal health. Although WNV exposure has been evidenced in various wild mammal species in Spain, no seroepidemiological studies have been conducted on this flavivirus in wild lagomorphs so far.

Reemerging Infectious Diseases and Neuroimmunologic Complications.

During the past decade (and beyond), neurologists have become aware of the emergence, persistence, and consequences of some familiar and new infections affecting the nervous system. Even among the familiar CNS infections, such as herpes virus, polyoma virus/JC, influenza, arbovirus, and hepatitis, challenges remain in developing effective antiviral treatments and treatments of postinfection sequelae. With the changing environment and increased global travel, arthropod vectors that mediate zoonotic disease transmission have spread unfamiliar viruses such as West Nile virus, dengue, chikungunya, equine encephalitis, and Zika, among others.

Sustained antiviral insulin signaling during West Nile virus infection results in viral mutations.

Arthropod-borne viruses or arboviruses, including West Nile virus (WNV), dengue virus (DENV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) pose significant threats to public health. It is imperative to develop novel methods to control these mosquito-borne viral infections. We previously showed that insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling (IIS)-dependent activation of ERK and JAK-STAT signaling has significant antiviral activity in insects and human cells.

The European Union One Health 2023 Zoonoses report.

This report by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control presents the results of zoonoses monitoring and surveillance activities carried out in 2023 in 27 Member States (MSs), the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) and 10 non-MSs. Key statistics on zoonoses and zoonotic agents in humans, food, animals and feed are provided and interpreted historically. In 2023, the first and second most reported zoonoses in humans were campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis, respectively.

Advancing West Nile virus monitoring through whole genome sequencing: Insights from a One Health genomic surveillance study in Romagna (Italy).

In the last 6 years, Italy accounted for 36 % of the total autochthonous European West Nile virus (WNV) cases reported to ECDC. Since 2001, the country put in place a multi-species national surveillance plan. The plan was enhanced in 2020 by adopting a fully integrated "One Health" approach, including human, wild bird, equine, and mosquito surveillance for the early detection of WNV.

Spatial dynamics of Culex quinquefasciatus abundance: geostatistical insights from Harris County, Texas.

Mosquito-borne diseases pose a significant public health threat, prompting the need to pinpoint high-risk areas for targeted interventions and environmental control measures. Culex quinquefasciatus is the primary vector for several mosquito-borne pathogens, including West Nile virus. Using spatial analysis and modeling techniques, we investigated the geospatial distribution of Culex quinquefasciatus abundance in the large metropolis of Harris County, Texas, from 2020 to 2022.

A real-time forecasting and estimating system of West Nile virus: a case study of the 2023 WNV outbreak in Colorado, USA.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus that remains a persistent public health challenge in the USA, with seasonal outbreaks that can lead to severe cases. In this study, we detail a real-time prediction system for WNV that incorporates an adapted compartment model to account for the transmission dynamics among birds, mosquitoes and humans, including asymptomatic cases and the influence of weather factors. Using data assimilation techniques, we generate weekly WNV case forecasts for Colorado in 2023, providing valuable insights for public health planning.

Complex patterns of WNV evolution: a focus on the Western Balkans and Central Europe.

Introduction: West Nile Virus, an emerging zoonotic pathogen, has been circulating in Serbia for over a decade, with its first detection in mosquitoes in 2010. Since then, the virus has led to increasing cases in both animals and humans, peaking in 2018 with 415 human cases and 36 fatalities. This study aimed to explore the phylogenetic relationships between previously sequenced West Nile virus strains from Serbia and those sequenced in this study, while also identifying possible virulence factors.

The Role of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) in Central Nervous System Infectious Syndromes.

We describe the proportion of VZV infection in central nervous system (CNS) infectious syndromes in a single Israeli medical center. An observational cohort study was conducted in Kaplan Medical Center (a secondary hospital, Israel) between July 1, 2014, and March 31, 2019. Included were adult patients (≥ 16 years old) with CNS infection with an aseptic CSF profile that were subjected to molecular tests for herpes viruses, HSV either 1 or 2, VZV, enteroviruses, and IgM for West Nile virus (WNV).

Origin and evolution of West Nile virus lineage 1 in Italy.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that can infect humans, equids, and many bird species, posing a threat to their health. It consists of eight lineages, with Lineage 1 (L1) and Lineage 2 (L2) being the most prevalent and pathogenic. Italy is one of the hardest-hit European nations, with 330 neurological cases and 37 fatalities in humans in the 2021-2022 season, in which the L1 re-emerged after several years of low circulation.

From bytes to bites: In-silico creation of a novel multi-epitope vaccine against Murray Valley Encephalitis Virus.

Flaviviruses transmitted by arthropods, including the Murray Valley Encephalitis Virus (MVEV), are RNA viruses capable of causing severe encephalitis in various hosts. The spread of these viruses is closely linked to climatic conditions and the habitats of host and vector species, leading to outbreaks in new geographic regions. Notable encephalitis-causing flaviviruses include Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Kunjin virus (KUNV).

Dynamics of West Nile Virus Lineage 2 Spread in the Balkans in the Context of Global Spatio-Temporal Dispersal.

West Nile Virus (WNV) is considered one of the most widely distributed arboviruses worldwide. In 2018, Serbia was among the European countries reporting the highest number of WNV cases. This study aimed to characterize WNV strains circulating in Serbia, and to estimate the pathways and dynamics of WNV-2 spread in the Balkans and globally through the phylogenetic approach.

Correction: Tajima et al. Amino Acids at Positions 156 and 332 in the E Protein of the West Nile Virus Subtype Kunjin Virus Classical Strain OR393 Are Involved in Plaque Size, Growth, and Pathogenicity in Mice. 2024, , 1237.

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Arbovirus in Solid Organ Transplants: A Narrative Review of the Literature.

The incidence of arbovirus infections has increased in recent decades. Other than dengue, chikungunya, and West Nile viruses, the data on arbovirus in solid organ transplant (SOT) are limited to case reports, and infections in renal transplant recipients account for most of the reported cases. Dengue and West Nile infections seem to be more severe with higher mortality in SOT patients than in the general population.

PLNC8 αβ Potently Inhibits the Flavivirus Kunjin and Modulates Inflammatory and Intracellular Signaling Responses of Alveolar Epithelial Cells.

PLNC8 αβ is a cationic antimicrobial peptide that previously has been reported to express both antibacterial and antiviral properties. This study aimed to further elucidate the antiviral effects of PLNC8 αβ and its impact on virus-induced cytotoxicity and inflammatory signaling in human alveolar epithelial cells (A549) infected with the flavivirus Kunjin. Complementary in silico analyses using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were conducted to investigate the mechanism of action of PLNC8 αβ by studying the interaction of PLNC8 α and β with models of a flavivirus membrane and a eukaryotic plasma membrane, respectively.

The Re-Emergence of Neuroinvasive Flaviviruses in Croatia During the 2022 Transmission Season.

(Re-)emerging arboviruses, such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Usutu virus (USUV), are continuously increasing in incidence. We analyzed the epidemiological characteristics of flavivirus infections in humans, sentinel animals, and mosquitoes detected in the 2022 transmission season in Croatia. From April to November 2022, 110 hospitalized patients with neuroinvasive diseases (NID) were tested for the presence of arboviruses.