Outbreak of West Nile Virus Infection in Volgograd Region, Russia, 1999
Author Information
Author(s): Alexander E. Platonov, German A. Shipulin, Olga Yu. Shipulina, Elena N. Tyutyunnik, Tatyana I. Frolochkina, Robert S. Lanciotti, Svetlana Yazyshina, Olga V. Platonova, Igor L. Obukhov, Alexander N. Zhukov, Yury Ya. Vengerov, Valenin I. Pokrovskii
Primary Institution: Central Institute of Epidemiology, Moscow, Russia
Conclusion
The study documents an outbreak of West Nile virus infection in the Volgograd Region, highlighting its severity and the emergence of potentially epidemic strains.
Supporting Evidence
- 826 patients were admitted with acute aseptic meningoencephalitis, meningitis, or fever consistent with arboviral infection.
- 183 serum samples tested positive for anti-WN virus IgM, indicating acute infection.
- 40 out of 84 cases of meningoencephalitis were fatal.
Takeaway
In 1999, many people in Volgograd got sick from a virus carried by mosquitoes, and some even died. This virus was new to the area and caused serious illness.
Methodology
Epidemiologic and clinical data were collected and analyzed, and serum samples were tested for West Nile virus antibodies using ELISA.
Limitations
The study may not fully capture all cases of West Nile virus infection due to reliance on clinical diagnoses.
Participant Demographics
The majority of patients were over 50 years old, with a male:female ratio of 1:1.
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