title: The first human case of neuroinvasive West Nile virus infection identified in Cyprus.
abstract: West Nile virus infection can pose a diagnostic challenge to clinicians, especially in geographic areas where human cases of this disease have never been encountered before. In August 2016, the first human case of West Nile virus infection was diagnosed in Cyprus. An elderly non immunosuppressed patient with a history of recent travel, presented with a clinical picture of rapidly progressing ascending paralysis mimicking Guillain-Barré syndrome. Neuroinvasive West Nile virus disease was diagnosed by detecting West Nile virus nucleic acid in the patient's cerebrospinal fluid. Public health measures were taken raising awareness regarding this disease and its prevention. Clinical vigilance to consider West Nile virus as a possible emerging pathogen in the appropriate clinical setting is warranted and could benefit individual patients.
authors.affiliation: Nicosia General Hospital Intensive Care Clinic, Nicosia, Cyprus. Electronic address: elpnik@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Niki I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Paphitou
authors.affiliation: Nicosia General Hospital Intensive Care Clinic, Nicosia, Cyprus. Electronic address: aristomenisemail@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Aristomenis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tourvas
authors.affiliation: Nicosia General Hospital Intensive Care Clinic, Nicosia, Cyprus; Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Department of Molecular Virology, 6 International Airport Ave., Agios Dometios, 2379 Nicosia Nicosia, Cyprus. Electronic address: doraflo13@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Floridou
authors.affiliation: Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Department of Molecular Virology, 6 International Airport Ave., Agios Dometios, 2379 Nicosia Nicosia, Cyprus. Electronic address: richter@cing.ac.cy.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Department of Molecular Virology, 6 International Airport Ave., Agios Dometios, 2379 Nicosia Nicosia, Cyprus. Electronic address: tryfonos@cing.ac.cy.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tryfonos
authors.affiliation: Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Department of Molecular Virology, 6 International Airport Ave., Agios Dometios, 2379 Nicosia Nicosia, Cyprus. Electronic address: cchristo@cing.ac.cy.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Christodoulou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000821:virology*; D003535:Cyprus; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Cyprus; Emerging diseases; Neuroinvasive disease; Public health; West Nile virus