Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus lineage 2 in sedentary wild birds (Eurasian magpie), Greece, 2010

G Valiakos; A Touloudi; C Iacovakis; L Athanasiou; P Birtsas; V Spyrou; C Billinis

doi:10.2807/ese.16.18.19862-en

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Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus lineage 2 in sedentary wild birds (Eurasian magpie), Greece, 2010

G Valiakos^1,2, A Touloudi^1,2, C Iacovakis^1,2, L Athanasiou^1,2, P Birtsas^3,4, V Spyrou⁵, C Billinis ^1,2
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Affiliations: ¹ Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece ² Laboratory of Zoonoses Research, Institute of Biomedical Research and Technology (BIOMED/CERETETH), Larissa, Greece ³ Department of Forestry and Natural Environment Administration, Technological Education Institute of Larissa, Karditsa, Greece ⁴ Hunting Federation of Macedonia and Thrace, Thessaloniki, Greece ⁵ Department of Animal Production, Technological Education Institute of Larissa, Larissa, Greece

Correspondence:
C Billinis
billinis vet.uth.gr
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Citation style for this article: Valiakos G, Touloudi A, Iacovakis C, Athanasiou L, Birtsas P, Spyrou V, Billinis C. Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus lineage 2 in sedentary wild birds (Eurasian magpie), Greece, 2010. Euro Surveill. 2011;16(18):pii=19862. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.16.18.19862-en Received: 27 Apr 2011

Abstract

A West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 strain was molecularly identified and characterised in a Eurasian magpie hunted in Greece in 2010, during a WNV outbreak in humans. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the highest sequence similarity (>99%) with other WNV lineage 2 strains derived from birds of prey in Austria and Hungary (2004-2009). This first molecular detection of WNV in sedentary wild birds in Greece, which are possible reservoirs of the virus, is a public health concern. .