Usutu virus infections among blood donors, Austria, July and August 2017 - Raising awareness for diagnostic challenges

Euro Surveill. 2017 Oct;22(41):17-00644. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.41.17-00644.

Abstract

Between July and August 2017, seven of 12,047 blood donations from eastern Austria, reacted positive to West Nile virus (WNV) in the cobas test (Roche). Follow-up investigations revealed Usutu virus (USUV) nucleic acid in six of these. Retrospective analyses of four blood donors diagnosed as WNV-infected in 2016 showed one USUV positive. Blood transfusion services and public health authorities in USUV-endemic areas should be aware of a possible increase of human USUV infections.

Keywords: Austria; Flaviviridae; Usutu virus; West Nile virus; blood donor; blood-borne infections; diagnosis; flavivirus.

MeSH terms

  • Austria
  • Blood Donors*
  • Encephalitis Viruses, Japanese
  • Flavivirus*
  • Humans
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / methods*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Viral
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • West Nile virus / genetics
  • West Nile virus / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • RNA, Viral

Supplementary concepts

  • Usutu virus