For several weeks, in addition to the countries of Europe and the region, the “West Nile Fever” virus has been circulating in Albania as well.
According to doctors, the virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Mosquitoes get the virus from the blood of birds infected with this virus. Birds are also carriers of the virus. As there is no transmission of infection between people.
In Albania, according to official data from the Institute of Public Health, it was reported that on August 5 there were 3 cases of loss and 17 infected. While he is suspected of 12 other cases.
According to epidemiologist Ilir Alimehmeti, about 3 thousand people may be infected in the country. According to him, the virus causes serious meningitis and encephalitis in only 1% of affected cases, while the fatality rate is 0.1% per 1,000 cases.
The well-known epidemiologist Alimehmeti adds that the situation is not worrying, as long as the transmission of the virus does not occur from person to person and in 80% of cases they do not show symptoms.
“In 80% of cases, the touch is without symptoms. In 20% of cases it causes fever, headache, vomiting or muscle weakness. There is no specific therapy for this virus. In case of the appearance of these symptoms, patients are recommended to stay at home and use medications to reduce the temperature.
Only in 1% of cases can it be manifested by affecting the central nervous system, such as encephalitis and meningitis. Hospitalization is done for these cases. Hospitalization is necessary for the patient immediately.
While fatality is very rare as 0.1% in 1,000 cases affected by the infection. So what does 1 loss of life mean for 1,000 affected. So far, 3 cases of loss of life have been reported in the country, which means that the number of people affected by the virus reaches 3 thousand cases”, he asserts.
The world’s first case of infection was first isolated in the West Nile area of Uganda in 1937, from where it got its name.
Doctor Alimehmeti says that the cases affected by the infection both in European countries and in Albania have been present in the last decade based on the data reported by ESDC (European Center for Disease Prevention and Control).
“Epidemic outbreaks in humans from the infection of “Nile fever” have been present in the last decade in Europe, including Albania. This year there is an increase in infections about 35% more in Europe and the region compared to years. Why is there an increase in cases this year? One of the reasons could be that more tests are being done”, he asserts.
As of June 30, 2023, the ESDC reported that there were 1,133 human cases of West Nile virus in European Union countries, including 92 deaths.
Then on December 6, 2023, 707 cases of West Nile fever infection were reported in EU countries, such as: in Italy (336), Greece (162, of which 1 case with unknown site of infection), Romania ( 103), France (43), Hungary (29), Spain (17), Germany (6), Croatia (6) and Cyprus (5).
In this period, 67 deaths were reported in Italy (29), Greece (23), Romania (12) and Spain (3). Countries neighboring the EU have reported 93 cases of infection where 91 cases were recorded in Serbia and 2 in North Macedonia. There were also 2 deaths in Serbia.
On February 10, 2022, 164 cases of West Nile virus were reported in EU countries, out of 159 cases that appeared in the same period in 2021. For 2021, there were 10 deaths.
Should laboratory tests for Nile virus be performed? What do the doctors say?
Since there is no specific therapy for the cure of the virus, no vaccine for humans and for severe cases hospitalization is needed for epidemiologist Ilir Alimehmeti, it is not necessary for people to perform tests.
“Doing the test doesn’t tell me anything as a doctor, as there is no specific cure for the virus. In 20% of cases that this infection shows symptoms, such as: headache, vomiting or muscle weakness, patients are recommended the same advice and medication as in the case of other viruses and to stay at home to relax. Above all, the virus is not transmitted to humans, so there is no room for concern.”
So private clinics in the country have started offering tests for the analysis of antibodies. Doctor Vasil Llajo and the administrator of the “Intermedica” laboratory network said that the laboratory tests performed in this case are IgM and IgG antibodies.
“IgM antibodies appear the first 8 days after exposure to the virus. They are done in the blood and in the cerebrospinal fluid (for patients affected by the central nervous system).
The analysis of IgM antibodies is the first analysis that is performed in patients who have shown symptoms. It is worth noting that if the patient has no symptoms, it is not recommended to perform these tests.
The positive presence of IgM (positive IgM) indicates that the patient is affected by the virus. If the presence of IgM antibodies is negative, this analysis is repeated after a few days.
IgG is also produced, simultaneously with IgM. When both are positive, it indicates current exposure of the organism to this virus. The presence of only IgG (positive IgG) indicates an earlier exposure to the virus, months or years ago,” he asserts.
According to him, the most common period of appearance of this pathology is related to the period of multiplication and appearance of mosquitoes and it is recommended to take measures to fight against them./MONITOR
