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Armen Muradyan, president of the YSUU Medical University, wrote on his Facebook page that 40 years ago (1985-1999) the West Nile virus was studied.
“What is West Nile Fever?”
West Nile fever is classified as an arbovirus. It was first discovered in the West Nile River, from which it gets its name. Arboviruses are transmitted by living vectors, primarily ticks and mosquitoes. There are more than 500 species of arboviruses, more than 100 of which are pathogenic to humans.
The Department of Epidemiology of the Medical University conducted scientific research in Armenia in 1985-1999. They included epidemiological, entomological, entomopathological, virological and serological studies. “Every year in autumn and spring (the peak period of the disease), together with entomologists we visited 10 regions of the Republic of Armenia. We collected mosquitoes and ticks from 118 settlements and saved the results. Then virological studies were conducted on newborn, 1-2 day old mice. It was these mice that were very sensitive to arboviruses,” said Hasmik Hovhannisyan, professor at the Department of Epidemiology.
What are the characteristics of arboviruses?
Worldwide, the spread of arboviruses is mainly through birds and rodents. Migratory birds are infected with the virus, ticks or mosquitoes bite them, become infected, and then transmit it to humans.
Arboviruses have a distinct seasonality.
Some pathogens can be very mild, with flu-like symptoms, but others can be severe.
“Different arboviral pathogens were isolated in eight of the 10 regions of Armenia. We had the highest transmission in Aragatsotn, Armavir, Ararat marze, where the vector is mosquito, and in Kotayk marze, where the vector is tick. We did not find the pathogen in Lori and Shirak.
For the first time in Armenia, we isolated 22 strains of West Nile virus from mosquitoes and only 4 from ticks. That is why we focused mainly on mosquitoes,” stressed Hasmik Hovhannisyan.
He said that natural foci of infectious transmission of the virus can survive for a long time and do not require attention, but the situation is different in recent times due to climate change, rising temperatures and large movements of migratory birds.
The disease is mostly asymptomatic but can cause serious complications and even death, according to the World Health Organization, which lists West Nile fever as a particularly dangerous infection.
The infection is transmitted to a person by a living carrier (tick, mosquito), the infection does not spread from person to person. But, of course, it is necessary to remain vigilant and use research data.
As of now, there is no specific treatment or vaccine,” he wrote.
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