A group of 17 mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus (Nile fever) in the Torregrande area. After the two cases of positive crows in Solarussa, Nile fever continues to circulate, fortunately for now, only among animals in the Oristano area.
The mosquito samples that tested positive for the virus were sent to the national reference center of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Teramo for confirmation. “Generally a pure formality – explained Enrico Vacca, head of the Animal Health sector of the Asl 5 of Oristano – in the meantime we have already sent the Municipality of Oristano a proposal for a trade union ordinance in order to immediately implement all the prevention and control and thus avoid further spread of the virus and possible infections to humans and horses”.
The Zooprophylactic Institute of Sardinia and the Department of Hygiene and Health Prevention of the ASL 5 have set up about fifteen traps throughout the Oristano area to capture groups of mosquitoes, in strategic points, such as in the area of the San Martino hospital. “One of these traps in Torregrande, in the municipality of Oristano, captured a pool, or a group of mosquitoes (culex pipiens), which tested positive for the virus – added Vacca – we also informed the regional health department so that the blood, organs and tissues of donors are subjected to the appropriate checks”.
A few weeks ago, two crows had tested positive for the Nile fever virus, shot down by the same hunter in the same spot, in the municipality of Solarussa. Since the beginning of May, 6 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus infection in humans have been reported in Italy: 3 occurred in the neuro-invasive form, 2 identified in blood donors, one case of fever. Veterinary surveillance made it possible to identify the presence of the virus in 20 birds and 17 mosquito pools.
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