First detection of West Nile virus in Belgium through wild bird surveillance, Belgium, 2025
Eurosurveillance·
- DOI
- 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2026.31.4.2600049
- PMID
- —
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W7126175777
- Study type
- Genomic study
- Publisher
- European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC)
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The detections confirm local West Nile virus circulation in Belgium for the first time and have implications for animal and public health preparedness and surveillance planning for the 2026 mosquito season.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study reports the first detection of West Nile virus in Belgium through wild bird surveillance and characterizes the circulating strain.
Study design
Wild bird surveillance monitoring program with RT-qPCR testing and whole genome sequencing for strain classification.
Population and setting
Wild birds, primarily corvids, in Belgium during August through October 2025.
Main findings
Seven wild birds (three corvids in August, four additional birds in September and October) tested positive for West Nile virus. Sequencing identified the strain as lineage 2, matching strains circulating in other European regions.
Public-health relevance
The detections confirm local West Nile virus circulation in Belgium for the first time and have implications for animal and public health preparedness and surveillance planning for the 2026 mosquito season.
Important limitations
This summary relies on the supplied single-article abstract and metadata. Full interpretation of sampling methods, diagnostic sensitivity, spatial distribution, and epidemiologic context requires review of the complete published paper.
GIDS interpretation
This genomic epidemiology study from Belgium describing first West Nile virus detection in wild birds would be discoverable through surveillance for West Nile virus activity in Europe and genomic characterization of lineage 2 strains.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 7 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.