A case of West Nile fever has been confirmed in the city of Salamanca.

The previous case of West Nile fever published in Salamanca occurred in Morasverdesin the area of Ciudad Rodrigo, September 1 last year. West Nile fever is an endemic disease in some areas of Spain of viral origin, transmitted through the bites of mosquitoes (genus Culex). It mainly affects birds, although it also affects horses and people, in whom it is usually asymptomatic, but in a “small percentage,” the Ministry of Agriculture notes, a severe form of the clinical course can develop, characterized by a picture of encephalomyelitis with neurological symptoms. .

The previous case identified in Salamanca occurred on August 30, 2022 in Fuenteguinaldoregion of Ciudad Rodrigo.

The protocol states that once a case is confirmed, agriculture reports it to the Ministry of Health so that it can take the necessary public health measures. The virus is not transmitted between horses and people. Birds are being monitored because they are considered reservoirs of the disease and play a key role in the spread of the virus. It is usually found in horses when the mosquito population is already significant.