Two case reports of neuroinvasive West Nile virus infection in the Almaty region, Kazakhstan
Yekaterina O. Ostapchuk,
Andrey V. Zhigailov,
Yuliya V. Perfilyeva,
Anna G. Shumilina,
Lyazzat T. Yeraliyeva,
Anna S. Nizkorodova,
Tatyana V. Kuznetsova,
Farida A. Iskakova,
Zhanna A. Berdygulova,
Alena S. Neupokoyeva,
Seidigapbar M. Mamadaliyev,
Andrey M. Dmitrovskiy
Affiliations
Yekaterina O. Ostapchuk
Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology, 14g Zhahanger Str., Almaty, 050054, Kazakhstan
Andrey V. Zhigailov
Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology, 14g Zhahanger Str., Almaty, 050054, Kazakhstan
Yuliya V. Perfilyeva
Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology, 14g Zhahanger Str., Almaty, 050054, Kazakhstan
Anna G. Shumilina
Tekeli City Hospital, Tekeli, 25 Tauelsizdik Str., Tekeli, 041700, Kazakhstan
Lyazzat T. Yeraliyeva
National Scientific Center of Phthisiopulmonology, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 5 Bekhozhina Str., Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan
Anna S. Nizkorodova
Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology, 14g Zhahanger Str., Almaty, 050054, Kazakhstan
Tatyana V. Kuznetsova
Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology, 14g Zhahanger Str., Almaty, 050054, Kazakhstan
Farida A. Iskakova
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Evidence-based Medicine, 71 Al-Farabi Str., Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Zhanna A. Berdygulova
Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology, 14g Zhahanger Str., Almaty, 050054, Kazakhstan
Alena S. Neupokoyeva
Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology, 14g Zhahanger Str., Almaty, 050054, Kazakhstan
Seidigapbar M. Mamadaliyev
Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology, 14g Zhahanger Str., Almaty, 050054, Kazakhstan
Andrey M. Dmitrovskiy
Almaty Branch of National Center for Biotechnology, 14g Zhahanger Str., Almaty, 050054, Kazakhstan; Corresponding author.
Background: West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the genus Flavivirus, which transmitted to humans mainly by mosquitoes. Recent pilot serosurveillance data from the Almaty region, Kazakhstan, suggest widespread WNV circulation in this area. This report includes two cases of neuroinvasive WNV infection in the same family living in a rural area near Tekeli city, Eskeldinsky district, Almaty region, Kazakhstan. Occurring concurrently and manifesting as WNV infection with febrile illness and symptoms of meningoencephalitis. Methods: The study performed retrospective analysis of clinical histories and achieved serum samples obtained from patients with febrile and meningoencephalitic syndromes of unknown origin in the Almaty region spanning from April 1 to October 31, 2019. All sera samples obtained from patients with clinically suspected cases of acute WNV infection were retrospectively tested for WNV and tick-borne encephalitis virus by commercial immunoassays. Two cases were selected. Cases presentation: We report two cases that occurred in August 2019 in a rural area near Tekeli city. Previously healthy 28- and 19-year-old husband and wife with febrile illness and neurological manifestations were hospitalized with the diagnosis of meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology and treated empirically. Retrospective serological analysis showed the presence of high titers of IgG against WNV on day 9 after onset of symptoms in cases. Conclusions: This is the first report of aseptic meningitis with WNV infection in the background in Kazakhstan. The obtained data suggest circulation of WNV in the Almaty region and emphasize importance of laboratory testing for WNV in suspicious cases occurring in the region.
