Monitoring West Nile virus (WNV) infection in wild birds in Serbia during 2012: first isolation and characterisation of WNV strains from Serbia
Eurosurveillance·
- DOI
- 10.2807/1560-7917.es2013.18.44.20622
- PMID
- 24176657
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W2122682427
- 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 findings confirm WNV circulation in Serbia and highlight a risk of infection for humans and horses, underscoring the need for implementing WNV surveillance programmes.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study investigated whether West Nile virus (WNV) was circulating among wild birds in northern Serbia in 2012 and characterised the viral strains involved.
Study design
A cross-sectional virological surveillance study of wild birds, combining serological testing (ELISA, PRNT), molecular detection (RT-qPCR), virus isolation in cell culture, and phylogenetic analysis of partial E region and full genomic sequences.
Population and setting
A total of 133 wild birds across 45 species and 27 families, including resident and migratory species, were sampled in the Vojvodina province of northern Serbia between January and September 2012. Blood sera (n=92) and pooled tissue samples (n=81) were tested.
Main findings
WNV antibodies were detected in 7 of 92 sera (8%), with five of these neutralising WNV but not Usutu virus. WNV RNA was detected in pooled tissues of eight birds and in one additional bird whose serum proved infective in cell culture (nine RNA-positive birds total), representing the first WNV isolations reported from Serbia. Phylogenetic analysis of partial E region sequences and a full genome from a goshawk isolate indicated at least two Serbian lineage 2 clusters closely related to strains from recent human and animal outbreaks in Greece, Hungary and Italy.
Public-health relevance
The findings confirm WNV circulation in Serbia and highlight a risk of infection for humans and horses, underscoring the need for implementing WNV surveillance programmes.
Important limitations
No limitations are explicitly stated in the supplied abstract. This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata, and the original paper is required for decision-grade interpretation.
GIDS interpretation
This article provides genomic-epidemiological context on WNV lineage 2 circulation in wild birds in Serbia and its geographic links to nearby outbreaks; it does not by itself establish a live surveillance signal.
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 10 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.