The first Brescia victim of Nile fever is a 74-year-old man living in Cigole: since 30 July he was hospitalized at the Manerbio hospital for an infection with West Nile Virus. Mocking fate: the first Brescia death from coronavirus was recorded in Cigole, now almost two and a half years ago (Francesco Capuzzi, 86 years old).
The latest regional bulletin reported 4 cases of Nile fever in the province of Brescia: among these also the 74-year-old, as mentioned in hospital in Manerbio. The first symptoms rapidly worsened, leading to severe neurological symptoms (in this case meningoencephalitis). A woman, residing in Ghedi, had also ended up in the hospital, but she would have already been discharged without serious consequences: the other two cases in Brescia were asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic.
West Nile Virus: the situation
In the meantime, the bulletin of the Higher Institute of Health has also been circulated. Since the beginning of June, 144 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus infection in humans have been reported in Italy (they were 94 the previous week): of these 87 occurred in a neuro-invasive form (50 in Veneto, 22 in Emilia Romagna , 8 in Piedmont, 5 in Lombardy, 2 in Friuli Venezia Giulia), 23 cases identified in blood donors (11 Veneto, 6 in Emilia Romagna, 3 in Lombardy and 3 in Piedmont), 33 cases of fever (27 in Veneto, 3 in Lombardy, 2 in Emilia Romagna and one in Piedmont), a symptomatic case in Veneto.
10 deaths among the confirmed cases
There are 10 deaths among the confirmed cases: 6 in Veneto, 2 in Piedmont, one in Emilia Romagna and one in Lombardy (the 74-year-old from Cigole). Of the 87 most severe cases, 5 are in Lombardy: in addition to Brescia also in Cremona, Lodi and Mantua (2 cases). Throughout Italy, 46 over 75 have developed a neuro-invasive form, 27 between 65 and 74 years, 12 between 45 and 64 years, only 2 are under 45. In the same period last year there were only 6 Italian cases of West Nile Virus infection.
The West Nile Virus is an arbovirus that can also affect humans as a result of an infected mosquito bite, and cause Nile fever. Human infection is asymptomatic in over 80% of cases: in the remaining 20% the symptoms are those of a pseudo-flu syndrome. In rare cases (0.1%) the viral infection can cause more serious symptoms such as meningitis or meningoencephalitis.