In Italy we return to talk about the feared western Nile fever, After the death of an 82 -year -old lady in Fondi, in the province of Latina. The woman, who lived in Nerola (Rome) and did not suffer from other diseases, had been hospitalized last week in the hospital after having accused symptoms such as high fever was confused.
At the moment in Lazio There are six confirmed cases of West Nile virusconcentrated all in the province of Latina. Two men, 63 and 72 years old, are in critical conditions at the Santa Maria Goretti hospital in Latina due to neurological complications and both were suffering from previous pathologies, while the other four are in the improvement phase. In 2025 other cases were reported in 15 provinces of Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna.
“The situation is to be kept under control and it is not good news that the first cases have also been recorded in Lazio. – the infectiousologist Massimo Andoni explained to the microphones of the Ansa – This demonstrates a further diffusion of the disease, which has been endemic in various Italian regions for years and has been transmitted by the common Culex mosquito also present in our country. This infection is spreading more and more and this leads two considerations: You are tropicalizing and is better and better for the circulation of this and other mosquitoes, on the other hand it becomes essential that doctors are more able to diagnose this disease by learning to know it “.
Here is the map of the contagi (updated on 16/07/2025) by Nile fever published by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità :
How is Nile’s fever transmit?
The West Nile virus an infectious disease transmitted by the Night Common Mosquito And not from the tiger mosquito. For the first time the virus was isolated in 1937 in Uganda, precisely in the West Nile district (from which it takes its name) and today it has spread to Africa, West Asia, Europe, Australia and America.
Mosquitoes are infected by punishing birds and can also transmit the virus to horses, people and rare cases dogs, cats and rabbits, while
Period of incubation and symptoms of the virus
As clarified by the Higher Institute of Health, the incubation period of the Nile fever from the moment of the sting of the infected mosquito varies in a couple of days and two weeks, but can also be 21 days in subjects who have a compromised immune system.
Most infected subjects do not show any symptoms. Among the symptomatic cases, About 20% have slight symptoms:
For example, among children there is more frequent light fever, while in the younger subjects symptoms is characterized by medium -high fever, eye redness, headache and pain in the muscles. Instead, in the elderly and in debilitated people, the symptoms are generally more serious (although these represent 1% of cases on average).
How do you diagnose and take care of the Nile fever?
As regards the diagnosis of the virus, it is mainly carried out through laboratory tests (Elisa or immunofluorescence) and on serum and, where indicated, on cerebrospinal fluid, for the search for IGM type antibodies.
Currently There is no West Nile fever vaccine, Although science is working on us, but for the moment prevention consists above all in reducing exposure to mosquito stings. In most cases, the symptoms disappear alone in a few days or week, while in the most serious cases hospitalization is needed, where intravenous fluid fluids are made and assisted breathing is used.
How to prevent the virus
Unfortunately there is no cure for the virus, but to prevent contagion we can follow these precautions suggested in a note released in these days by the Lazio Region to clarify:
Sources: ISS /Lazio Region
