Authors: I. Rudolf 1,2 ; D. Fuchs 3; R. Ciupek 4; O. Šebesta 1,4; S. Šikutová 1 ; K. Mravcová 1 ; H. Zelená 5 Authors place of work: Ústav biologie obratlovců AV ČR, v. v. i., Brno 1; Ústav experimentální biologie, Přírodovědecká fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Brno 2; Nemocnice Břeclav, Infekční oddělení, Břeclav 3; Krajská hygienická stanice Jihomoravského kraje se sídlem v Brně 4; Zdravotní ústav se sídlem v Ostravě, Oddělení virologie, Ostrava 5 Published in the journal: Epidemiol. Mikrobiol. Imunol. 75, 2026, č. 1, s. 38-41 Category: Krátké sdělení doi: https://doi.org/10.61568/emi/11-6659/20260202/142618
Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging mosquito-borne pathogen that taxonomically belongs to the genus Flavivirus and the family Flaviviridae. This arbovirus originating in Africa caused a major bird die-off near Vienna and its surroundings in 2001. Since then, the virus has progressively spread across southern, western and central Europe, including the Czech Republic. Despite the initial assumption that USUV is primarily pathogenic to birds (and highly virulent especially to blackbirds), several dozen human cases have been reported in Europe since 2019, and their number is steadily increasing. In this paper, we document a human case of Usutu virus meningitis in South Moravia at the end of the 2024 mosquito season and highlight the urgent need for regular surveillance of mosquitoes, birds, and humans, also focusing on other mosquito-borne diseases (in addition to West Nile virus and Ťahyňa virus) in the Czech Republic. The study authors obtained the patient‘s consent to publish this case report.
arboviruses − Usutu − mosquitoes − Culex pipiens − birds − One Health
1. Poidinger M, Hall RA, Mackenzie JS. Molecular characterization of the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex of the Flavivirus genus. Virology, 1996;218(2):417–421. DOI: 10.1006/ viro.1996.0213.
2. Engel D, Jöst H, Wink M, et al. Reconstruction of the evolutionary history and dispersal of Usutu virus, a neglected emerging arbovirus in Europe and Africa. mBio, 2016;7(1):e01938–15. DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01938-15.
3. Williams MC, Simpson DIH, Haddow AJ, et al. The Isolation of West Nile virus from man and of Usutu virus from the bird-biting mosquito Mansonia aurites (Theobald) in the Entebbe area of Uganda. Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 1964;58(3):367–374. DOI: 10.1080/00034983.1964.11686258.
4. Weissenböck H, Kolodziejek J, Url A, et al. Emergence of Usutu virus, an African mosquito-borne flavivirus of the Japanese encephalitis virus group, central Europe. Emerg Infect Dis, 2002;8(7):652–656. DOI: 10.3201/eid0807.020094.
5. Hubálek Z, Rudolf I. Microbial Zoonoses and Sapronoses, Springer: Dordrecht, 2011. ISBN 9789048196579.
6. Laverdeur J, Amory H, Beckers P, et al. 2025. West Nile and Usutu viruses: current spreading and future threats in a warming northern Europe Front Virol, 28 January 2025. DOI: 10.3389/fviro.2025.1544884.
7. Cadar D, Simonin Y. Human Usutu virus infections in Europe: a new risk on Horizon? Viruses, 2022,15 : 77. DOI: 10.3390/ v15010077.
8. Pecorari M, Longo G, Gennari W, et al. First human case of Usutu virus neuroinvasive infection, Italy, August-September 2009. Euro Surveill, 2009;14(50):15–16. DOI: 10.2807/ese.14.50. 19446-en.
9. Cavrini F, Gaibani P, Longo G, et al. Usutu virus infection in a patient who underwent orthotropic liver transplantation, Italy, August-September 2009. Euro Surveill, 2009;14(50):17–18. DOI: 10.2807/ese.14.50.19448-en.
10. Caracciolo I, Mora-Cardenas E, Aloise C, et al. Comprehensive response to Usutu virus following first isolation in blood donors in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of Italy: Development of recombinant NS1-based serology and sensitivity to antiviral drugs. Bowen RA, ed. PLOS Neglect Trop Dis, 2020;14(3):e0008156. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008156.
11. Angeloni G, Bertola M, Lazzaro E, et al. Epidemiology, surveillance and diagnosis of Usutu virus infection in the EU/EEA, 2012 to 2021. Euro Surveill, 2023;28(33):2200929. DOI: 10.2807/1560 - 7917.ES.2023.28.33.2200929.
12. Zelená H, Kleinerová J, Šikutová S, et al. First Autochthonous West Nile Lineage 2 and Usutu Virus Infections in Humans, July to October 2018, Czech Republic. Pathogens, 2021;10(6):651. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060651.
13. Hubálek Z, Halouzka J, Juřicová Z, et al. Serologic survey of birds for West Nile flavivirus in Southern Moravia (Czech Republic). Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Dis, 2008;8(5):659–666. DOI: 10.1089/ vbz.2007.0283.
14. Hubálek Z, Rudolf I, Čapek M, et al. Usutu virus in blackbirds (Turdus merula), Czech Republic, 2011–2012. Transbound Emerg Dis, 2014;61(3):273–276. DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12025.
15. Straková P, Šikutová S, Jedličková P, et al. The common coot as sentinel species for the presence of West Nile and Usutu flaviviruses in Central Europe. Res Ve. Sci, 2015;102 : 159–161. DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2015.08.002.
16. Rudolf I, Bakonyi T, Šebesta O, et al. Co-circulation of Usutu virus and West Nile virus in a reed bed ecosystem. Parasites & Vectors, 2015;8(1):520. DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1139-0.
17. Hönig V, Palus M, Kaspar T, et al. Multiple Lineages of Usutu Virus (Flaviviridae, Flavivirus) in Blackbirds (Turdus merula) and Mosquitoes (Culex pipiens, Cx. modestus) in the Czech Republic (2016–2019). Microorganisms, 2019;7(11):568. DOI: 10.3390/ microorganisms7110568.
18. Cadar D, Maier P, Müller S, et al. Blood donor screening for West Nile virus (WNV) revealed acute Usutu virus (USUV) infection, Germany, September 2016. Euro Surveill, 2017;22(14):pii=30501. DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.14.30501.
19. Percivalle E, Cassaniti I, Sarasini A, et al. West Nile or Usutu virus? A three-year follow-up of humoral and cellular response in a group of asymptomatic blood donors. Viruses, 2020;12(2):157. DOI: 10.3390/v12020157.
Zvyšte si kvalifikaci online z pohodlí domova
Nemáte účet? Registrujte se
Zadejte e-mailovou adresu, se kterou jste vytvářel(a) účet, budou Vám na ni zaslány informace k nastavení nového hesla.
