1st case of human Usutu virus infection has been detected in France
June 22nd, 2018“……This 1st case of human infection has been detected in France…..The patient, in his 30s, was able to be
treated, escaping the serious consequences of this virus, which attacks the nervous system. “He arrived with a facial paralysis…. He could not move the right side of the face. He had a feeling similar to having ants all over his body onthe right side, mainly, and small motor [neuron] deficits — a rather unusual picture…….”
“Usutu virus (USUV) is a relatively unknown member of the mosquito-borne cluster within the Flavivirus genus, closely related to important human pathogens such as Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV), Dengue virus (DENV), Yellow fever virus (YFV), Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), and West Nile virus (WNV)…..”
. Usutu virus infections among blood donors, Austria, July and August 2017 – Raising awareness for diagnostic challenges. Euro Surveill. 2017;22(41):pii=17-00644. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.41.17-00644
“……. In a recent study conducted between 2008 and 2011 in the Modena region of Italy, which involved 915 patients with or without neurological impairments, the percentage of USUV RNA- and antibody-positive samples was significantly higher than that of WNV, raising the issue on the potential of USUV to cause human neuroinvasive disease The deleterious effect of USUV on human neural cells was also shown experimentally…….”
