Correction: Epizootic Emergence of Usutu Virus in Wild and Captive Birds in Germany

Epizootic Emergence of Usutu Virus in Wild and Captive Birds in Germany

This study aimed to identify the causative agent of mass mortality in wild and captive birds in southwest Germany and to gather insights into the phylogenetic relationship and spatial distribution of the pathogen. Since June 2011, 223 dead birds were collected and tested for the presence of viral pathogens. Usutu virus (USUV) RNA was detected by real-time RT-PCR in 86 birds representing 6 speci...

West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus Monitoring of Wild Birds in Germany

By systematically setting up a unique nation-wide wild bird surveillance network, we monitored migratory and resident birds for zoonotic arthropod-borne virus infections, such as the flaviviruses West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV). More than 1900 wild bird blood samples, from 20 orders and 136 different bird species, were collected between 2014 and 2016. Samples were investigated by W...

Emergence of Usutu virus in Hungary.

In 2001, Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus of the Japanese encephalitis virus serogroup related to West Nile virus and previously restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, emerged in wild and zoo birds in and around Vienna, Austria. In order to monitor the spread of the infection, a dead bird surveillance program was established in Austria and in neighboring Hungary. In Hungary, 332 dead ...

Usutu Virus in Bats, Germany, 2013

To the Editor: Usutu virus (USUV) is an arthropod-borne fla-vivirus that belongs to the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex (1). USUV circulates between ornithophilic mosquito vectors (mainly Culex spp. mosquitoes) and avian amplification hosts (2). Migratory birds play a key role in the introduction of USUV into new areas (3). USUV has recently been introduced from Africa into Europe, causing ep...

Laboratory characteristics of poxviruses isolated from captive elephants in Germany