Department of Biotechnology, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA), Madrid, Spain.
Molecular Virology Group, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
Virulence. 2021 Dec;12(1):1145-1173. doi: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1908740.
West Nile virus (WNV) is a flavivirus which transmission cycle is maintained between mosquitoes and birds, although it occasionally causes sporadic outbreaks in horses and humans that can result in serious diseases and even death. Since its first isolation in Africa in 1937, WNV had been considered a neglected pathogen until its recent spread throughout Europe and the colonization of America, regions where it continues to cause outbreaks with severe neurological consequences in humans and horses. Although our knowledge about the characteristics and consequences of the virus has increased enormously lately, many questions remain to be resolved. Here, we thoroughly update our knowledge of different aspects of the WNV life cycle: virology and molecular classification, host cell interactions, transmission dynamics, host range, epidemiology and surveillance, immune response, clinical presentations, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prophylaxis (antivirals and vaccines), and prevention, and we highlight those aspects that are still unknown and that undoubtedly require further investigation.
西尼罗河病毒（WNV）是一种黄病毒，其传播循环在蚊子和鸟类之间维持，尽管它偶尔会导致马和人类的零星爆发，从而导致严重的疾病甚至死亡。自 1937 年首次在非洲分离以来，WNV 一直被认为是一种被忽视的病原体，直到最近它在欧洲和美洲传播并定居，在这些地区，它继续在人类和马中引起爆发，并导致严重的神经后果。尽管我们最近对病毒的特征和后果有了巨大的了解，但仍有许多问题有待解决。在这里，我们彻底更新了我们对 WNV 生命周期的不同方面的了解：病毒学和分子分类、宿主细胞相互作用、传播动力学、宿主范围、流行病学和监测、免疫反应、临床表现、发病机制、诊断、预防（抗病毒药物和疫苗）和预防，并强调了那些仍然未知的方面，这些方面无疑需要进一步研究。
