Sonia Thankachy, K P Amju, Mathew Jessu, Hisham Moosan, Manju Rahi, Vijesh S Kuttiatt
{"title":"Emergence of West Nile virus infection in Kerala, South India: A case of concern.","authors":"Sonia Thankachy, K P Amju, Mathew Jessu, Hisham Moosan, Manju Rahi, Vijesh S Kuttiatt","doi":"10.4103/JVBD.JVBD_172_24","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>West Nile virus (WNV) infection is emerging as a disease of public health concern in Kerala, India with recurring outbreaks since 2011. With its tropical climate, biodiversity hot spots of Western ghats, forest cover, plenty of water bodies and bird sanctuaries, Kerala provides an ideal ecological niche for vector breeding and transmission of WNV. In this article, we reflect on the peculiar features of the outbreaks of WNV fever in Kerala and highlight the knowledge gaps, the research priorities and the need for effective control measures. Information on transmission patterns of WNV, its circulating lineages and identification of vectors is needed to adopt appropriate control strategies in the state. In addition to the active measures on the part of the health system to ensure vector control and to curtail transmission pathways of the disease, inclusion of the community in preventing WNV infection through awareness campaigns and other participatory control measures should be initiated in the pre-monsoon months.</p>","PeriodicalId":17660,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Vector Borne Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Vector Borne Diseases","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.4103/JVBD.JVBD_172_24","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"INFECTIOUS DISEASES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) infection is emerging as a disease of public health concern in Kerala, India with recurring outbreaks since 2011. With its tropical climate, biodiversity hot spots of Western ghats, forest cover, plenty of water bodies and bird sanctuaries, Kerala provides an ideal ecological niche for vector breeding and transmission of WNV. In this article, we reflect on the peculiar features of the outbreaks of WNV fever in Kerala and highlight the knowledge gaps, the research priorities and the need for effective control measures. Information on transmission patterns of WNV, its circulating lineages and identification of vectors is needed to adopt appropriate control strategies in the state. In addition to the active measures on the part of the health system to ensure vector control and to curtail transmission pathways of the disease, inclusion of the community in preventing WNV infection through awareness campaigns and other participatory control measures should be initiated in the pre-monsoon months.
期刊介绍:
National Institute of Malaria Research on behalf of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) publishes the Journal of Vector Borne Diseases. This Journal was earlier published as the Indian Journal of Malariology, a peer reviewed and open access biomedical journal in the field of vector borne diseases. The Journal publishes review articles, original research articles, short research communications, case reports of prime importance, letters to the editor in the field of vector borne diseases and their control.