TY - JOUR
T1 - Syndromic surveillance in the Netherlands for the early detection of West Nile virus epidemics
AU - Rockx, Barry
AU - Van Asten, Liselotte
AU - Van Den Wijngaard, Cees
AU - Godeke, Gert Jan
AU - Goehring, Lutz
AU - Vennema, Harry
AU - Van Der Avoort, Harrie
AU - Van Pelt, Wilfrid
AU - Koopmans, Marion
PY - 2006/6
Y1 - 2006/6
N2 - West Nile virus (WNV) is an arthropod-borne flavivirus that is endemic in Africa, Europe, and Eastern Asia. The recent introduction and rapid dissemination of the virus in the United States as well as an increase in WNV outbreaks in Europe, has raised concerns for its spread in Europe. A surveillance system was developed to allow timely detection of an introduction of WNV infections in The Netherlands. This program focuses on cases presenting with neurological disease and includes the monitoring of hospital discharge diagnoses, trends in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diagnostic requests, laboratory testing of CSF, and monitoring of neurological disease in horses. Retrospective data from the hospital discharge records showed yearly peaks of unexplained meningitis and (meningo)encephalitis in the summer. A total of 781 CSF samples from humans and 71 serum and/or CSF samples from horses presenting with neurological disease of suspected viral etiology tested negative for the presence of specific antibodies to WNV. With a coverage rate of 59% in 2003, the probability that a cluster of five WNV cases presenting with neurological symptoms would have been detected was 99%. We conclude that, from 1999 to 2004, no evidence of WNV infection could be found in either humans or horses in The Netherlands.
AB - West Nile virus (WNV) is an arthropod-borne flavivirus that is endemic in Africa, Europe, and Eastern Asia. The recent introduction and rapid dissemination of the virus in the United States as well as an increase in WNV outbreaks in Europe, has raised concerns for its spread in Europe. A surveillance system was developed to allow timely detection of an introduction of WNV infections in The Netherlands. This program focuses on cases presenting with neurological disease and includes the monitoring of hospital discharge diagnoses, trends in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diagnostic requests, laboratory testing of CSF, and monitoring of neurological disease in horses. Retrospective data from the hospital discharge records showed yearly peaks of unexplained meningitis and (meningo)encephalitis in the summer. A total of 781 CSF samples from humans and 71 serum and/or CSF samples from horses presenting with neurological disease of suspected viral etiology tested negative for the presence of specific antibodies to WNV. With a coverage rate of 59% in 2003, the probability that a cluster of five WNV cases presenting with neurological symptoms would have been detected was 99%. We conclude that, from 1999 to 2004, no evidence of WNV infection could be found in either humans or horses in The Netherlands.
KW - (Meningo) encephalitis
KW - Antibodies
KW - Syndromic surveillance
KW - West Nile virus
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U2 - 10.1089/vbz.2006.6.161
DO - 10.1089/vbz.2006.6.161
M3 - Article
C2 - 16796513
AN - SCOPUS:33746163801
SN - 1530-3667
VL - 6
SP - 161
EP - 169
JO - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
JF - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
IS - 2
ER -