Nile Virus in Italy: updates

The epidemiological bulletin is available online summarizing the results of the surveillance activities against the West Nile virus and the Usutu virus in Italy, updated as 26 July 2022.

Since the beginning of June 2022, 42 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) infection in humans have been reported in Italy (15 last week); of these, 21 occurred in the neuro-invasive form (7 Emilia-Romagna, 12 Veneto, 2 Piedmont), 12 cases identified in blood donors (3 Lombardy, 6 Veneto, 3 Emilia-Romagna) and 9 cases of fever (1 Lombardy, 7 Veneto, 1 Emilia-Romagna).

The first human case of the season was reported by Veneto in June in the province of Padua. Five deaths were reported among the confirmed cases (3 in Veneto, 1 in Piedmont and 1 in Emilia-Romagna). In addition to the cases described above, three neuro-invasive cases are being confirmed in Veneto, two of which have died. In the same period, no cases of Usutu virus were reported.

Veterinary surveillance carried out on horses, mosquitoes, sedentary and wild birds, confirmed the circulation of the WNV in Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Lombardy and Sardinia.

The molecular analyses performed have identified the circulation of WNV Lineage 1 and Lineage 2. Positivity is being confirmed in the provinces of Milan, Varese, Viterbo, Cuneo and Novara.

As of 20 July 2022, 19 human cases of WNV have been reported in the EU member states (4 in Greece and 15 in Italy) of which 4 deaths in Italy. Two cases were reported from neighboring countries (2 Serbia) (Source: ECDC 2022).

Epidemiological bulletins of WND in Italy, Europe and in the Mediterranean basin