A group of mosquitoes tested positive for the "Usutu" virus in the area of the San Martino hospital in Oristano . It is the first time in 2023 that the virus, less dangerous to humans than Nile fever (West Nile) but still with the ability, albeit limited, to induce neuro-invasive clinical forms in humans, has been detected in the Oristano area.
«The situation is under control », began Maria Valentina Marras, director of the Health Service and Public Health of the ASL 5. She specifies: «The same precautions to be taken, already communicated to prevent contagion of the Nile fever".
CHECKS – It was the Zooprophylactic Institute of Sardinia that communicated to the Oristano Local Health Authority 5 that it had detected the virus in a pool of mosquitoes (Culex pipiens) captured by traps set up near the San Martino hospital.
The same mosquito samples that tested positive will now be sent to the national reference center of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Teramo for confirmation. The Hygiene and Public Health Service of the Oristano health company has already sent a proposal for a trade union ordinance to the Municipality of Oristano in order to immediately put in place all the prevention and control measures and thus avoid further spread of the virus and possible infections to man .
THE VIRUS – The Usutu (USUV), lesser known Nile Fever virus, is also capable of causing both significant mortality among populations of some bird species and symptoms in humans, although the ability to induce clinical forms neuro-invasive seems to be, to date, limited to a few sporadic reports. This virus is also transmitted between birds and mammals by infected mosquitoes (especially of the genus Culex). The Usutu virus disease can cause asymptomatic forms, influenza forms and, in the most serious, but very rare cases, meningo-encephalitis in humans. – Dr. Marras recalled some important behaviors to prevent the contagion of the virus: «The most important action remains , where mosquito larvae develop, with environmental remediation operations and the use of larvicides. It is therefore necessary ; keep water containers (including children's pools) in a position that does not create stagnation; arrange tyres, scrap or waste materials in order to avoid accumulations of stagnant water. And still use, in moderation, skin repellents to be sprayed or spread on the uncovered parts of the body; wear when you are outdoors, especially at dusk and until dawn, light-colored clothing that covers most of the body; apply mosquito nets to windows and entrance doors; in case of presence of mosquitoes indoors, vaporize pyrethrum-based sprays or other insecticides for domestic use, or use electric insecticide diffusers, ventilating the rooms well before staying there".
