West Nile virus review highlights horses as One Health sentinels

West Nile virus review puts horses back at the center of One Health surveillance

A new review in Pathogens argues that horses remain one of Europe’s most useful early-warning signals for West Nile virus, even as the disease’s footprint shifts north and west under changing environmental conditions. The paper, published in March 2026, synthesizes European evidence from 2010 through late 2025 on epidemiology, mosquito ecology, climate and land-use drivers, and surveillance systems, with a particular focus on Romania. Its central point is straightforward: horses don’t amplify West Nile virus transmission, but their exposure often tracks local human risk, making equine surveillance a practical part of integrated One Health monitoring. (mdpi.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the review is a reminder that equine cases and serology can do more than confirm disease in individual animals. They can help flag local viral circulation before or alongside recognized human cases, especially when paired with mosquito and bird monitoring. The authors note that most equine infections are subclinical, but neuroinvasive disease can be severe, and diagnosis remains difficult because horses develop only short, low-level viremia. That makes serology, case recognition, and coordinated reporting especially important in practice. (mdpi.com)

What to watch: Expect continued emphasis on integrated EU surveillance, including equids, birds, and humans, as the 2026 transmission season approaches and climate-linked expansion remains a concern. (efsa.europa.eu)