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Page No. : 52-59

ABSTRACT

The global threat of arboviral diseases with zoonotic significance infecting wide varieties of vertebrate hosts over a broad geographical range is a major public health concern. West Nile virus (WNV), a neurotropic vector-borne emerging Flavivirus belonging to the Japanese Encephalitis virus antigenic complex under the family Flaviviridae has received immense attention in recent times owing to its enhanced virulence, increased occurrence and expansion in geographical range. Since the first isolation in 1937, WNV has been reported from different countries across the world and become the prime causes of viral encephalitis. Humans are incidental hosts suffering long-term serious neurologic sequelae with development of acute flaccid paralysis or even death. The virus is maintained in nature within an enzootic cycle and bird-feeding mosquitoes predominantly
belonging to the genus Culex are the principal vectors of WNV. West Nile fever caused by WNV is a major emerging public health threat reportable to OIE. The present review addresses the features of WNV emergence in new geographical areas, neuro-pathogenic lineages of the virus, role of vectors and birds in transmission cycle, clinical symptoms, challenges in diagnosis, role of sentinels in disease prevention and control.

Keywords: West Nile virus, Flavivirus, Seroprevalence, Vector