On 7 and 10 July, the Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) reported the first two human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in Greece this year. When looking at the epidemiology of WNV infection in Greece since 2010, one can observe a progressive geographical expansion of WNV transmission throughout the country. For this reason, these newly confirmed cases in Athens do not come unexpected.
This second consultation meeting of experts on West Nile virus infection was organised to obtain an overview of the changing epidemiology of West Nile virus in Europe during 2010, with the idea of proposing recommendations for improved public health preparedness and local response during outbreaks.