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

Robert C. Bruce; Anthony J. Abbott; Ben P. Jones; Bathsheba L. Gardner; Estela González; Andra‐Maria Ionescu; Madhujot Jagdev; Ava Jenkins; Mariana Santos; Katharina Seilern‐Macpherson; Hugh J. Hanmer; Robert A. Robinson; Alexander G. C. Vaux; Nicholas Johnson; Andrew A. Cunningham; Becki Lawson; Jolyon M. Medlock; Arran J. Folly

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.es.2025.30.28.2500401

Molecular BiologyEurosurveillanceJul 17, 2025

Peer-reviewed journal article

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

Robert C. Bruce, Anthony J. Abbott iD, Ben P. Jones iD, Bathsheba L. Gardner, Estela González iD, Andra‐Maria Ionescu iD, Madhujot Jagdev, Ava Jenkins, Mariana Santos iD, Katharina Seilern‐Macpherson, Hugh J. Hanmer iD, Robert A. Robinson iD, Alexander G. C. Vaux iD, Nicholas Johnson iD, Andrew A. Cunningham iD, Becki Lawson iD, Jolyon M. Medlock iD, Arran J. Folly iD

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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