2023-09-21 19:02:23
West Nile Virus Cases Reported in Italy
As of September 21, 2023, cases of West Nile virus have been reported in various places in Italy, adding to the list of tropical diseases recently hitting the country. News portals Südtirol News and heute.at have confirmed the infections in Sardinia and on the northern Adriatic coast near Venice.
In Sardinia, a 51-year-old man with severe symptoms resembling meningitis has been admitted to the San Martino Hospital in Oristano after being infected with the West Nile virus. Fortunately, his condition is said to be stable.
It is not the first time that West Nile fever has been detected in Italy. Last year, there were also cases reported in the same regions. The virus is transmitted to humans through mosquitoes that have previously fed on infected birds.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) states that the majority of infections are “mostly clinically inconspicuous,” with only 20 percent of those affected experiencing flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, and vomiting. Serious illness, such as meningitis or encephalitis, occurs in only about one percent of those infected.
Climate change seems to be contributing to the spread of tropical diseases in southern and central Europe. According to the RKI, at least twelve people in Germany were infected with the West Nile virus in September 2020. Additionally, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported one death this year from West Nile virus infection in the Mediterranean region, along with several cases in Greece, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Cyprus.
Recently, the ECDC documented cases of West Nile fever in the northern Adriatic region, specifically in Santa Margherita, Bibione, and Lignano Sabbiadoro, popular beach destinations for tourists from Austria and Germany. This outbreak follows an update in travel advice for Italy by the German Foreign Office, who warned of a dengue fever outbreak in Lake Garda, another tropical disease.
As the cases of West Nile virus continue to rise, health authorities are monitoring the situation closely and advising residents and travelers to take necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites.]
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