West nile virus pathophysiology
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
West Nile virus pathophysiology
Transmission
Birds are the main reservoir of West Nile virus (WNV), but transmission of the virus is by mosquito bite of an infected bird with high-level viremia, such as birds of the family Passeriformes.[1] Thus, transmission is frequently denoted as "bird-mosquito-bird" transmission. Although direct bird-to-bird transmission has been speculated, further validation is still required.[2] Other species may also be infected, such as horses, cats, and dogs. Humans are considered dead-end hosts because the disease rarely progresses to viremia in humans, making transmission of the virus from a human unlikely except in some reported cases of transmission by blood transfusion, breastfeeding, or organ transplantation.[3][4][5]
Mosquitoes responsible for viral transmission belong to different families, varying based on geographical location:[6]
- Culex pipiens: Northern half and West of USA
- Culex quinquefasciatus: Southeast and West of USA
- Culex tarsal: West of USA
Pathogenesis
Following inoculation, replication of WNV takes place in Langerhans epidermal dendritic cells, which are antigen-presenting immune cells.(26) These cells then migrate to lymph nodes, resulting in lymph node drainage, followed by viremia and dissemination of the virus into other organs, namely the spleen and the kidneys. Within one week, the virus is successfully cleared from serum and tissue compartments among immunocompetent individuals.
References
- ↑ "Emerging Infectious Diseases".
- ↑ Komar N, Langevin S, Hinten S, Nemeth N, Edwards E, Hettler D; et al. (2003). "Experimental infection of North American birds with the New York 1999 strain of West Nile virus". Emerg Infect Dis. 9 (3): 311–22. doi:10.3201/eid0903.020628. PMC 2958552. PMID 12643825.
- ↑ Iwamoto M, Jernigan DB, Guasch A, Trepka MJ, Blackmore CG, Hellinger WC; et al. (2003). "Transmission of West Nile virus from an organ donor to four transplant recipients". N Engl J Med. 348 (22): 2196–203. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa022987. PMID 12773646.
- ↑ Pealer LN, Marfin AA, Petersen LR, Lanciotti RS, Page PL, Stramer SL; et al. (2003). "Transmission of West Nile virus through blood transfusion in the United States in 2002". N Engl J Med. 349 (13): 1236–45. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa030969. PMID 14500806.
- ↑ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2002). "Possible West Nile virus transmission to an infant through breast-feeding--Michigan, 2002". MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 51 (39): 877–8. PMID 12375687.
- ↑ Petersen LR, Brault AC, Nasci RS (2013). "West Nile virus: review of the literature". JAMA. 310 (3): 308–15. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.8042. PMID 23860989.