Emerging and re-emerging viruses affecting the nervous system

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Neuroscience
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Emerging and re-emerging viruses pose significant threats, causing neurological conditions including meningitis, encephalitis, and Guillain-Barré-like syndromes.
• Key viral families implicated include Adenoviridae, Arbovirus, Arenaviridae, Herpesviridae, Picornaviridae, Paramyxoviridae, and Togaviridae.
• Clinical manifestations often present biphasically, starting with non-specific febrile illness and progressing to focal neurological deficits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the spectrum of neurological diseases caused by emerging and re-emerging viruses.
• To highlight the diagnostic challenges associated with viral detection, including short viremic periods and serological pitfalls.
• To discuss the epidemiology and vector-borne transmission of arboviruses, emphasizing the role of Aedes mosquitoes.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of viral families causing neurological diseases.
• Analysis of clinical presentations and diagnostic strategies.
• Examination of arbovirus transmission dynamics, vector ecology, and viral persistence.

Main Results:

• Arboviruses transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes (e.g., Chikungunya, Dengue, Japanese Encephalitis B, West Nile virus) have expanded their geographic range.
• Viral risk profiles are intrinsically linked to vector occurrence and activity.
• Viruses exhibit prolonged persistence in vectors, with overwintering strategies in arthropods enabling survival.

Conclusions:

• Effective control of arboviral diseases relies on understanding and managing vector populations and their ecological interactions.
• Global ecological shifts and control measures influence the prevalence of certain viral diseases.
• The persistence and overwintering capabilities of viruses in arthropod vectors are critical factors in disease epidemiology.