West Nile Virus in the United States — A Historical Perspective
Prior to 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) was a bit player in the screenplay of global vector-borne viral diseases. First discovered in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937, this Culex sp.-transmitted virus was known for causing small human febrile outbreaks in Africa and the Middle East. Prior to 19...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2013-12-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/5/12/3088 |
| _version_ | 1817998146485092352 |
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| author | John T. Roehrig |
| author_facet | John T. Roehrig |
| author_sort | John T. Roehrig |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Prior to 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) was a bit player in the screenplay of global vector-borne viral diseases. First discovered in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937, this Culex sp.-transmitted virus was known for causing small human febrile outbreaks in Africa and the Middle East. Prior to 1995, the last major human WNV outbreak was in the 1950s in Israel. The epidemiology and ecology of WNV began to change in the mid-1990s when an epidemic of human encephalitis occurred in Romania. The introduction of WNV into Eastern Europe was readily explained by bird migration between Africa and Europe. The movement of WNV from Africa to Europe could not, however, predict its surprising jump across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City and the surrounding areas of the United States (U.S.). This movement of WNV from the Eastern to Western Hemisphere in 1999, and its subsequent dissemination throughout two continents in less than ten years is widely recognized as one of the most significant events in arbovirology during the last two centuries. This paper documents the early events of the introduction into and the spread of WNV in the Western Hemisphere. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:49:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-840ee87636804d9c988aa134f0d33f57 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:49:06Z |
| publishDate | 2013-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-840ee87636804d9c988aa134f0d33f572022-12-22T02:16:23ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152013-12-015123088310810.3390/v5123088v5123088West Nile Virus in the United States — A Historical PerspectiveJohn T. Roehrig0Arboviral Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic and Emerging Infectious Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USAPrior to 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) was a bit player in the screenplay of global vector-borne viral diseases. First discovered in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937, this Culex sp.-transmitted virus was known for causing small human febrile outbreaks in Africa and the Middle East. Prior to 1995, the last major human WNV outbreak was in the 1950s in Israel. The epidemiology and ecology of WNV began to change in the mid-1990s when an epidemic of human encephalitis occurred in Romania. The introduction of WNV into Eastern Europe was readily explained by bird migration between Africa and Europe. The movement of WNV from Africa to Europe could not, however, predict its surprising jump across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City and the surrounding areas of the United States (U.S.). This movement of WNV from the Eastern to Western Hemisphere in 1999, and its subsequent dissemination throughout two continents in less than ten years is widely recognized as one of the most significant events in arbovirology during the last two centuries. This paper documents the early events of the introduction into and the spread of WNV in the Western Hemisphere.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/5/12/3088West NileNew York CityU.S. outbreakzoonotic viruses |
| spellingShingle | John T. Roehrig West Nile Virus in the United States — A Historical Perspective Viruses West Nile New York City U.S. outbreak zoonotic viruses |
| title | West Nile Virus in the United States — A Historical Perspective |
| title_full | West Nile Virus in the United States — A Historical Perspective |
| title_fullStr | West Nile Virus in the United States — A Historical Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | West Nile Virus in the United States — A Historical Perspective |
| title_short | West Nile Virus in the United States — A Historical Perspective |
| title_sort | west nile virus in the united states a historical perspective |
| topic | West Nile New York City U.S. outbreak zoonotic viruses |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/5/12/3088 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johntroehrig westnilevirusintheunitedstatesahistoricalperspective |