West Nile Virus Outbreak in Israel 2024 Compared with Previous Seasons: A Retrospective Study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Since May 2024, Israel has been experiencing a large West Nile virus (WNV) outbreak. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized cases to previous years and identify predictors of poor outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective study. We compared WNV infection cases hospitalized during the 2024 outbreak (from 29 May to 29 July) to cases hospitalized during 2018-2023. For the entire cohort, risk factors for poor outcomes were investigated using multivariable analyses. The primary outcomes were death and a composite outcome of 30-day all-cause mortality, prolonged hospitalization (≥ 28 days), or discharge to an institution.

Results

We included 134 patients, 103 admitted during 2024 and 31 during 2018-2023. The majority (109/134, 81%

SUBMITTER: Katzenellenbogen G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12271017 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature