West Nile Virus (WNV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes West Nile Fever, first isolated in Uganda in 1937. This virus belongs to the Flaviviridae family from the genus Flavivirus which also contains Zika Virus, Yellow Fever Virus, and Dengue Virus.
The West Nile Virus (WNV) is usually spread by mosquitoes of Culex species that become infected when they feed on infected birds, which often carry the disease. There is no transmission from human to human.
While most WNV infections don’t lead to symptoms, about 20 percent can cause West Nile Fever, presenting symptoms like headache, fever, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, and rash. In about 1% of WNV infections, the virus can cause a serious condition that affects the nervous system resulting in encephalitis, meningitis, and paralysis. Older age groups, those with high blood pressure or blood disorders, diabetes, kidney disease, or alcohol-related illnesses are among the groups most at-risk. There are no vaccines or medicines to treat West Nile Fever therefore taking precautions like using mosquito repellant, wearing clothing that covers most of their bodies, and using mosquito nets and screen doors are crucial. Countries are also fighting the mosquito-borne disease by restricting the environmental conditions that favor mosquito breeding and habitat.
With increasing temperatures due to climate change and population, the risk of exposure to WNV is becoming greater every year. Cases are growing across Europe and North America and are expected to rise even more in the coming weeks. This summer, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported WNV cases in nine European countries with 8 people losing their lives. High case numbers in several cities in Greece, at the border of Türkiye, also raise alarms in terms of the necessity of taking precautions.
With this rapid spread of WNV, it is important to access convenient in-vitro diagnostic tools to detect the virus in humans. Real-Time PCR Kits offer a solution for reliable in-vitro diagnostic solutions. Bosphore West Nile Quantification Kit v2, which includes internal control, detects and characterizes the West Nile virus RNA from serum, plasma, urine, whole blood, and CSF samples. With kits like Bosphore Tropical Fever Panel, it is possible to distinguishingly detect WNV from pathogens like Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae, Salmonella enterica, Plasmodium vivax, Dengue Virus, Chikungunya Virus, and Plasmodium ovale that cause diseases with similar symptoms.
