Virological characterization and analysis of the immune response in subjects with West Nile virus and Usutu virus infection
Innate and adaptive immune response in subjects with West Nile virus and Usutu virus infections
This is an in vitro study on biological fluids to investigate the adaptive humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in blood donors with West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) infections. The study will encompass a minimum of 10 subjects per virus, with a maximum of 80 participants, followed up at 1, 7, 40 days, and 6 and 12 months post-infection. The study involves healthy adult subjects presenting at the Transfusion Medicine Unit of ULSS6 Euganea Company, DIMT Padua, for blood donation and who have shown reactivity in the WNV NAT screening test. Subjects who tested positive for WNV NAT in previous years and who consent to the use of their biological samples stored at the Reference Laboratory for Arboviruses of the Veneto Region, headed by Prof. Luisa Barzon, PI of this study, may also be enrolled. Blood donors who have given their written informed consent for additional tests on blood samples collected or already collected for routine investigations will be enrolled. These tests will be aimed at characterizing the innate and adaptive humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, and possibly identifying host-associated factors predictive of infection progression. Each study subject will be associated with a pseudonymized code, and the results obtained from additional tests will be anonymized and therefore not traceable to the individual.
1. Male or female individuals aged between 18 and 60 years 2. WNV/USUV infection detected through WNV NAT testing as part of blood donor screening 3. Individuals without other acute infections or active chronic diseases, apart from WNV or USUV infection 4. Willingness to provide written informed consent after being adequately informed about the risks and benefits of the study 5. Availability to participate in at least two scheduled study visits
1. Any individual who, in the investigator's opinion, does not comply with the study objectives and protocol 2. Anticipated absence from the study center during the study period, for example, due to a planned vacation