Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

West Nile Virus in Southern Portugal, 2004

2005; Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.; Volume: 5; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1089/vbz.2005.5.410

1557-7759

Aida Esteves, António Paulo Gouveia de Almeida, Rui Pedro Galão, Ricardo Parreira, J. Piedade, João Rodrigues, Carla A. Sousa, María Teresa Novo,

Malaria Research and Control

West Nile virus (WNV) genomic RNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in six out of 57 mosquito pools collected in Southern Portugal, during the summer of 2004, yielding an infection rate (IR) of 2.8/1,000 mosquitoes. Phylogenetic analysis of a 217-nucleotide fragment of the NS5 coding region, amplified from Culex pipiens s.l. and Culex univittatus unfed females, demonstrated a close relationship with WNV strains circulating in the Mediterranean basin (Italy, 1998; France, 2000; Morocco, 2003). The data in this short report demonstrate the presence of WNV in mosquitoes in Southern Portugal and the need of permanent surveillance for viral activity within the country.