West Nile virus

This article is about the virus. For the disease, see West Nile fever.
"WNV" redirects here. For other uses, see WNV (disambiguation).
West Nile virus
A micrograph of the West Nile Virus, appearing in yellow
Virus classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Riboviria
Kingdom: Orthornavirae
Phylum: Kitrinoviricota
Class: Flasuviricetes
Order: Amarillovirales
Family: Flaviviridae
Genus: Flavivirus
Species:
West Nile virus
Ribbon representation of the NS2B/NS3 protease of West Nile virus

West Nile virus (WNV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes West Nile fever. It is a member of the family Flaviviridae, from the genus Flavivirus, which also contains the Zika virus, dengue virus, and yellow fever virus. The virus is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, mostly species of Culex. The primary hosts of WNV are birds, so that the virus remains within a "bird–mosquito–bird" transmission cycle.[1] The virus is genetically related to the Japanese encephalitis family of viruses. Humans and horses both exhibit disease symptoms from the virus, and symptoms rarely occur in other animals.

Contrary to popular belief, West Nile virus was not named directly after the Nile River, but rather, after the West Nile district of Uganda where the virus was first isolated in 1937.[2]

  1. ^ Mackenzie, John S; Gubler, Duane J; Petersen, Lyle R (2004). "Emerging flaviviruses: the spread and resurgence of Japanese encephalitis, West Nile and dengue viruses". Nature Medicine. 10 (12s): S98–S109. doi:10.1038/nm1144. PMID 15577938. S2CID 9987454.
  2. ^ "West Nile Virus - FAQs".