title: Evaluation of a West Nile virus surveillance and early warning system in Greece, based on domestic pigeons.
abstract: In the summer of 2010 an epidemic of West Nile virus (WNV) occurred in Central Macedonia, Greece, with 197 human neuroinvasive disease (WNND) cases. In the following years the virus spread to new areas, with a total of 76 WNND cases in 2011, and 109 WNND cases in 2012 (14 and 12 WNND cases, respectively, in Central Macedonia). We established a surveillance system based on serological testing of domestic pigeons, using cELISA confirmed by serum neutralization test. In Central Macedonia, pigeon seroprevalence was 54% (95% CI: 49-59%) and 31% (95% CI: 24-37%) at the end of the 2010 and 2011 epidemic seasons, respectively. One serum was positive for neutralizing antibodies directed against Usutu virus. Pigeon WNV seroprevalence and incidence rates of human WNND after the 2010 epidemic were positively correlated (ρ=0.94, at the regional unit level), while in 2011 the correlation (ρ=0.56) was not statistically significant, possibly due to small number of human WNND cases recorded. To evaluate the efficacy of the system at alerting upon WNV enzootic circulation before the onset of human cases, we tested 270 pigeons in 2011 and 240 pigeons in 2012. In Central Macedonia, the first seroconversions in pigeons were recorded 44 and 47 days, respectively, before the first human WNND cases. Pigeon surveillance was used successfully for identification of areas with WNV enzootic transmission and for early warning. Timely diffusion of information to health authorities facilitated the implementation of preparedness plans to protect public health.
authors: Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Serafeim C
authors: SC
authors: Chaintoutis
authors: Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: dovas@vet.auth.gr.
authors: Chrysostomos I
authors: CI
authors: Dovas
authors: Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Papanastassopoulou
authors: Ecodevelopment S.A. - Environmental Applications, Filyro, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Gewehr
authors: Department of Surveillance and Intervention, Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 15123 Athens, Greece.
authors: Kostas
authors: K
authors: Danis
authors: European Reference Laboratory for Equine Diseases, UPEC, UMR 1161 Virology, INRA, ANSES, ENVA, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors: Cécile
authors: C
authors: Beck
authors: European Reference Laboratory for Equine Diseases, UPEC, UMR 1161 Virology, INRA, ANSES, ENVA, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors: Sylvie
authors: S
authors: Lecollinet
authors: Ecodevelopment S.A. - Environmental Applications, Filyro, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Vasilis
authors: V
authors: Antalis
authors: Ecodevelopment S.A. - Environmental Applications, Filyro, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Stella
authors: S
authors: Kalaitzopoulou
authors: Department of Surveillance and Intervention, Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 15123 Athens, Greece; Department of Child Health, National School of Public Health, 11521 Athens, Greece.
authors: Takis
authors: T
authors: Panagiotopoulos
authors: Ecodevelopment S.A. - Environmental Applications, Filyro, 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Spiros
authors: S
authors: Mourelatos
authors: European Reference Laboratory for Equine Diseases, UPEC, UMR 1161 Virology, INRA, ANSES, ENVA, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors: Stéphan
authors: S
authors: Zientara
authors: Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Orestis
authors: O
authors: Papadopoulos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001715:Bird Diseases; D010856:Columbidae / Q000821:virology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring / Q000662:veterinary*; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: Central Macedonia; Early warning; Greece; Incidence rates of human WNND; Juvenile domestic pigeons; Neutralizing antibodies; Surveillance; Usutu virus; WNV point seroprevalence; West Nile virus