Re: Greece - West Nile virus confirmed in 34 deaths - Total number of patients rises to 261
Experts fear the West Nile Virus will spread to other parts of Greece and other countries next summer.
machinetranslated
The West Nile virus hit 19,000 people
The West Nile virus, which challenged the summer 254 people and killed at 34 people, has set the alert scientists of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Already started for the first time in Greece, a large epidemiological study conducted in Imathia and Pella, the counties where the majority of cases were recorded. One hundred and ten researchers from the Laboratory of Hygiene and Microbiology Laboratory A AUTH they interview and collect blood samples from door to door Veria, Giannitsa, Alexandria and more than 25 towns and villages of Imathia and Pella.
"Our goal," explained lead researcher, professor of the National School of Public Health, T. Panayiotopoulos, "is to be ready to tackle any new outbreak next summer." And everything suggests that behind the preparations and the specific words hidden fear any spread of virus outbreaks and other parts of Greece.
Cooperation for early preparation
For the first time in Greece made interdepartmental collaboration of five institutions, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the National School of Public Health, the contractors carrying out audits and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to place a large epidemiological study Central Macedonia, particularly in the prefectures of Pella and Imathia.
The researchers, this time getting interviews and collect samples of local residents door to door, looking for a sample of 700 people to find out why not afflicted by the virus. As explains associate professor of Medicine, A. Papa, only 1% of the population afflicted by the virus has some form of nerve disorders. The others show no symptoms. Putting, therefore, a reduction in the existing evidence,
experts estimate that there may be afflicted by the virus of approximately 19,000 people without showing any symptoms.
These individuals, who have already developed antibodies to the virus, researchers are looking for. These people are already "armored" against the virus and will not be afflicted. The sample should be identified by the team of researchers estimated at 700 people, and their identification is crucial as the experts will decide, based on the findings, the next steps to tackle the virus.
The study, expected to be completed later this year, will give a further important information: "You know how many people were infected by the virus as a whole, estimated by Mr. Papa.
"An alert, surveillance is now, prevention and cooperation of many entities, such as the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Interior and Armed Forces," said Secretary of the Ministry of Health A. Dimopoulos.
-----------------
Experts revealed that last summer, the fear was the possible spread of the virus in neighboring counties. Indeed, this possibility to occur, ie, cases where the respective next summer in other parts of the country, one can not rule it out.
Read more
