Detection and genomic characterization of West Nile virus lineage 2 in captive harbor seals in southern Italy.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus maintained in bird-mosquito cycles, with occasional spillover events causing neuroinvasive disease in humans and animals. This study describes two fatal cases of WNV lineage 2 infection in captive harbor seals housed in a zoological park in southern Italy, together with genomic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the detected strains.

Methods

Harbor seals were tested using multiplex real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the simultaneous detection of WNV lineage 1 and lineage 2. Selected extracts were further analyzed by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). Next-generation sequencing was performed, and the resulting sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analysis. A Centers

SUBMITTER: de Martinis C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC13624066 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature