Risk factors for West Nile virus infection and meningoencephalitis, Romania, 1996.
In 1996, an epidemic of 393 cases of laboratory-confirmed West Nile meningoencephalitis occurred in southeast Romania, with widespread subclinical human infection. Two case-control studies were performed to identify risk factors for acquiring infection and for developing clinical meningoencephalitis after infection. Mosquitoes in the home were associated with infection (reported by 37 [97%] of 38 asymptomatically seropositive persons compared with 36 [72%] of 50 seronegative controls, P<.01) and, among apartment dwellers, flooded basements were a risk factor (reported by 15 [63%] of 24 seropositive persons vs. 11 [30%] of 37 seronegative controls, P=.01). Meningoencephalitis was not associated with hypertension or other underlying medical conditions but was associated with spending more time outdoors (meningoencephalitis patients and asymptomatically seropositive persons spent 8.0 and 3.5 h [medians] outdoors daily, respectively, P<.01). Disease prevention efforts should focus on eliminating peridomestic mosquito breeding sites and reducing peridomestic mosquito exposure.
Han
L L
LL
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Popovici
F
F
Alexander
J P
JP
Laurentia
V
V
Tengelsen
L A
LA
Cernescu
C
C
Gary
H E
HE
Ion-Nedelcu
N
N
Campbell
G L
GL
Tsai
T F
TF
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D009033:Culicidae / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000472:pathogenicity