Abstract:

West Nile fever (WNF) is an infectious zoonotic ailment engendered by the West Nile virus(WNV), predominantly disseminated via mosquito bites. The clinical presentation of this malady includes symptoms like fever, rash, and lymphadenopathy, with a potential to affect the central nervous system, leading to encephalitic manifestations. Humans demonstrate considerable vulnerability and a relatively elevated mortality rate associated with this disease. Presently, the absence of efficacious vaccines or specific therapeutic agents for WNF necessitates the importance of prompt, accurate, and timely diagnostic procedures for effective patient management and curtailing the swift spread of epidemics. This review delineates the recent advancements WNV detection technologies and the evolving landscape of diagnostic methodologies. Principal etiological diagnostic approaches comprise virus isolation, RT-PCR, and isothermal amplification, whereas serological diagnostics include techniques like ELISA, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, the advent of metagenomics, underpinned by high-throughput sequencing, has been effectively utilized in the diagnosis and exploration of WNF in recent years. The ongoing innovation in novel technologies and their integration into disease detection are pivotal in augmenting the progression of WNF detection and preventive strategies.

Key words: West Nile fever, West Nile virus, diagnostic technology