Detection of West Nile virus in a common whitethroat (Curruca communis) and Culex mosquitoes in the Netherlands, 2020
Reina S. Sikkema, Maarten Schrama, Tijs van den Berg, Jolien Morren, Emmanuelle Münger, Louie Krol, Jordy G. van der Beek, Rody Blom, Irina Chestakova, Anne van der Linden, Marjan Boter, Tjomme van Mastrigt, Richard Molenkamp, Constantianus J. M. Koenraadt, Judith M. van den Brand, Bas B. Oude Munnink, Marion Koopmans, Henk P. van der Jeugd
Abstract
On 22 August, a common whitethroat in the Netherlands tested positive for West Nile virus lineage 2. The same bird had tested negative in spring. Subsequent testing of Culex mosquitoes collected in August and early September in the same location generated two of 44 positive mosquito pools, providing first evidence for enzootic transmission in the Netherlands. Sequences generated from the positive mosquito pools clustered with sequences that originate from Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.