West Nile Virus Seroprevalence in Manisa Province: A Population-based Study

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Gulmez A., Emecen A. N., Emek M., Unal B., Ergunay K., Oktem I. M. A., ...Daha Fazla

Infectious diseases and clinical microbiology (Online), cilt.4, sa.2, ss.118-126, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi) identifier

Özet

Objective: West Nile Virus (WNV), which causes widespread outbreaks in different parts

of the world, is a risk to public health in Turkey, too. Community-based study data are

needed to identify measures against possible outbreaks. This study aimed to determine the

seroprevalence of community-based WNV in Manisa and to investigate the relationship

between sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables.

Methods: We included individuals older than two years of age (n = 1,317,917) registered in

the Manisa Province Family Medicine Information System. Selected participants (n= 1233)

were determined by a simple random sampling method. Specific IgG antibodies against

WNV were investigated in serum samples using a commercial ELISA test (Euroimmun,

Germany). The relationship between age, gender, location, education and income level, occupation,

population density, altitude, the location of the toilet in the house, and the presence

of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease variables were analyzed

by chi-square, Fisher’s exact test and t-test. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence

interval (CI) for each variable were calculated by the logistic regression method to explain

potential risks.

Results: WNV IgG antibodies were detected in 47 (3.8%) sera samples by ELISA.

Seroprevalence was significantly correlated with independent variables of advanced age,

presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, low level of education

and income, living in low altitude areas and the location of the toilet. In multivariate

analysis; age (every one-year increase) (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02-1.07; p <0.001), equivalent

annual income per capita below 3265 TL (OR: 3.21; 95% CI: 1.53-6.73; p = 0.002), and living

areas below 132 meters altitude (OR = 3.21; 95% CI 1.26-8.15; p = 0.014) were found to be the

risk factors for WNV seropositivity.

Conclusion: In Manisa province, WNV IgG seroprevalence was detected as 3.8% with ELISA

method. Older age, low income and living in regions with a low altitude were found to be

associated with increased seropositivity significantly.

Keywords: West Nile virus, seroprevalence, ELISA