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In the past West Nile virus (WNV) infections occurred only sporadically in Europe, limited in time and geographic distribution. This changed dramatically since the emergence of an exotic lineage 2 WNV strain in Hungary in 2004 [Bakonyi et al., Emerg. Infect. Dis. 12, 618-623 (2006)]. Following a few years of adaptation, this virus strain dispersed widely in 2008, and was identified all over Hungary and in the eastern part of Austria [Wodak et al., Vet. Microbiol. 149, 358-366 (2011)]. Most likely during that time this WNV lineage also spread to Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia. In 2010, a clinically severe outbreak occurred in the Thessaloniki area of Greece with more than 200 human neuroinvasive cases and more than 30 deaths. Genetic analysis demonstrated the above-mentioned lineage 2 WNV as the causative agent, however with an amino acid exchange, which might have been responsible for the increased neuroinvasiveness [Papa et al., Emerg. Infect. Dis. 17, 920-922 (2011)]. In 2012, overt West Nile disease in humans and animals was also reported from several Balkan states. Since 2008 widespread outbreaks of lineage 1 WNV have been reported in northern Italy as well as outbreaks of a different type of a lineage 2 WNV (Volgograd strain) in Ro-mania. We demonstrated that the virus is overwintering in mosquitoes in outbreak areas, indicating that central, southern and eastern Europe must be aware of further WNV outbreaks in the future. General features of WNV infections and an overview of WNV epidemiology in Europe are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent increase in the occurrence of Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis has been reported from the eastern neighbouring countries of Austria (Slovakia, Hungary). In order to obtain data from Austria--especially from the areas bordering these countries--blood samples of dogs from Gänserndorf (northeastern Austria, bordering Slovakia) and Neusiedl (eastern Austria, bordering Hungary) were examined for the presence of Dirofilaria spp.-DNA by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). For D. repens one (out of eight) and six (out of ninety) positive dogs were found, respectively. D. immitis-DNA was not detected. Most of the positive dogs had previously been abroad in known Dirofilaria endemic areas. Two dogs, however, had never been abroad and presumably became infected in Austria. To investigate an autochthonous focus, 1366 mosquitoes from the eastern part of Austria were also examined by qPCR. Although positive mosquitoes could not be found, an emerging endemic occurrence of D. repens in Austria due to positive dogs seems possible.