West Nile Virus Seroprevalence Under Bird Ringers

NCT05294003 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: P20.112
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 162
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

In August 2020, West Nile Virus (WNV) was isolated from a live common whitethroat for the first time in The Netherlands. Follow-up sampling showed that the virus could also be detected in mosquitos from the same location during at least a whole month of sampling. On 15 October 2020, one case of West Nile virus infection has been reported in a man who was likely infected in the Utrecht region. This is the first time that a locally acquired human case of WNV infection has been reported in The Netherlands. Six additional cases have been identified, one of which from the region Arnhem. West Nile virus infection is a mosquito-borne zoonosis. The disease, which has spread across the Northern Hemisphere in the past three decades, is now found on an annual basis in many European countries where the centre of gravity lies in Southern-European countries. Recently, WNV was reported for the first time in Germany. The virus is transmitted among birds through the bite of infected mosquitoes and incidentally infects humans and other mammals, such as horses. Around 80% of human WNV infections are asymptomatic. The most common clinical presentation is West Nile fever but, older people and immunocompromised persons are at higher risk of developing neuro-invasive disorders (West Nile neuroinvasive disease). Currently, there are no prophylaxis or specific treatment against the disease in humans. In addition, Usutu virus (USUV) was detected in The Netherlands in 2016. USUV is another flavivirus, related to WNV, and also capable of infecting humans. Disease associated with USUV infection in humans appears to be milder and only limited number of cases have been identified. During their bird catching activities, bird ringers are intensively exposed to mosquito bites at the natural habitat of the birds and at the same time of the day when mosquitoes are particularly active. The aim of this study is therefore to determine the prevalence of WNV and USUV serum antibodies in bird ringers in The Netherlands.

Conditions

West Nile Virus

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• The proportion of individuals with neutralising antibodies against WNV by region

  One blood sample collected between June and September 2021

• The proportion of individuals with neutralising antibodies against USUV by region

  One blood sample collected between June and September 2021

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• The proportion of individuals with IgM antibodies against WNV

  One blood sample collected between June and September 2021

• The proportion of individuals with IgG antibodies against WNV

  One blood sample collected between June and September 2021

• The proportion of individuals with IgM antibodies against USUV

  One blood sample collected between June and September 2021

• The proportion of individuals with IgG antibodies against USUV

  One blood sample collected between June and September 2021

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Bird ringers from the Netherlands (about 580 licensed ringers and about 100 additional trainees or helpers)

You may qualify if:

• Carrying-out bird ringing activities during spring, summer or early autumn 2020 in The Netherlands

You may not qualify if:

• Not willing to participate in this study
• Using medication interfering with antibodies production
• Under 18 years of age

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Leiden University Medical Center: lead
• Erasmus Medical Center: collaborator
• UMC Utrecht: collaborator
• Leiden University: collaborator
• Netherlands Institute of Ecology: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC)

Leiden, Netherlands

Location

Related Publications (5)

• Sikkema RS, Schrama M, van den Berg T, Morren J, Munger E, Krol L, van der Beek JG, Blom R, Chestakova I, van der Linden A, Boter M, van Mastrigt T, Molenkamp R, Koenraadt CJ, van den Brand JM, Oude Munnink BB, Koopmans MP, van der Jeugd H. Detection of West Nile virus in a common whitethroat (Curruca communis) and Culex mosquitoes in the Netherlands, 2020. Euro Surveill. 2020 Oct;25(40):2001704. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.40.2001704.

  PMID: 33034280 BACKGROUND

• Ziegler U, Santos PD, Groschup MH, Hattendorf C, Eiden M, Hoper D, Eisermann P, Keller M, Michel F, Klopfleisch R, Muller K, Werner D, Kampen H, Beer M, Frank C, Lachmann R, Tews BA, Wylezich C, Rinder M, Lachmann L, Grunewald T, Szentiks CA, Sieg M, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Cadar D, Luhken R. West Nile Virus Epidemic in Germany Triggered by Epizootic Emergence, 2019. Viruses. 2020 Apr 15;12(4):448. doi: 10.3390/v12040448.

  PMID: 32326472 BACKGROUND

• Gaibani P, Rossini G. An overview of Usutu virus. Microbes Infect. 2017 Jul-Aug;19(7-8):382-387. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2017.05.003. Epub 2017 Jun 8.

  PMID: 28602915 BACKGROUND

• Rijks JM, Kik ML, Slaterus R, Foppen R, Stroo A, IJzer J, Stahl J, Grone A, Koopmans M, van der Jeugd HP, Reusken C. Widespread Usutu virus outbreak in birds in the Netherlands, 2016. Euro Surveill. 2016 Nov 10;21(45):30391. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2016.21.45.30391.

  PMID: 27918257 BACKGROUND

• Oude Munnink BB, Munger E, Nieuwenhuijse DF, Kohl R, van der Linden A, Schapendonk CME, van der Jeugd H, Kik M, Rijks JM, Reusken CBEM, Koopmans M. Genomic monitoring to understand the emergence and spread of Usutu virus in the Netherlands, 2016-2018. Sci Rep. 2020 Feb 18;10(1):2798. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-59692-y.

  PMID: 32071379 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu, Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport. Eerste patiënt in Nederland met westnijlvirus
• European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Factsheet about West Nile fever \[Internet\]. Stockholm: ECDC; 2020
• Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu, Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport. Westnijlkoorts

Study Officials

• Chiara de Bellegarde

  LUMC

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 15, 2022
• First Posted: March 24, 2022
• Study Start: May 28, 2021
• Primary Completion: September 22, 2021
• Study Completion: December 14, 2021
• Last Updated: March 24, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

NL (1)