title: Risk factors for West Nile virus infection and meningoencephalitis, Romania, 1996.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Popovici
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Laurentia
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Tengelsen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cernescu
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gary
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ion-Nedelcu
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: 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