Detection of West Nile Virus via Retrospective Mosquito Arbovirus Surveillance in the United Kingdom

Bruce, R. C.; Abbot, A. J.; Jone, B. P.; Gardener, B. L.; Gonzalez, E.; Ionescu, A.-M.; Jagdev, M.; Jenkins, A.; Santos, M.; Seilern-Macpherson, K.; Hanmer, H. J.; Robinson, R. A.; Vaux, A. G. C.; Johnson, N.; Cunningham, A. A.; Lawson, B.; Medlock, J. M.; Folly, A. J.

doi:10.1101/2025.06.17.659932

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.06.17.659932

Detection of West Nile Virus via Retrospective Mosquito Arbovirus Surveillance in the United Kingdom

Bruce, R. C.·Abbot, A. J.·Jone, B. P.·Gardener, B. L.·Gonzalez, E.·Ionescu, A.-M.·Jagdev, M.·Jenkins, A.·Santos, M.·Seilern-Macpherson, K.·Hanmer, H. J.·Robinson, R. A.·Vaux, A. G. C.·Johnson, N.·Cunningham, A. A.·Lawson, B.·Medlock, J. M.·Folly, A. J.

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Abstract

In March 2025, as part of on-going enhanced surveillance for mosquito-borne Orthoflaviviruses, West Nile virus (WNV) RNA was detected in two pools of female Aedes vexans collected in July 2023 in Nottinghamshire, England. Viral RNA detection was achieved via reverse transcription-qPCR. Sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of a 402 bp fragment indicated that the detections clustered with WNV lineage 1a. The exact origin of this virus remains unclear, but this finding indicates a historic WNV presence in the United Kingdom (UK). Surveillance has not provided evidence of further viral transmission to date.

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Bruce, R. C., Abbot, A. J., Jone, B. P., Gardener, B. L., Gonzalez, E., Ionescu, A.-M., Jagdev, M., Jenkins, A., Santos, M., Seilern-Macpherson, K., Hanmer, H. J., Robinson, R. A., Vaux, A. G. C., Johnson, N., Cunningham, A. A., Lawson, B., Medlock, J. M., Folly, A. J.. 2025-06-17. Detection of West Nile Virus via Retrospective Mosquito Arbovirus Surveillance in the United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.17.659932

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