Le virus West Nile, une problématique sanitaire désormais nationale - Camille Migné

West Nile virus (WNV), a neurotropic orthoflavivirus transmitted by Culex mosquitoes and with avian species as reservoir hosts, poses a major health threat to humans and equines in France and Europe. Although equine infection remains largely asymptomatic, a significant proportion of animals develop sometimes severe clinical forms, characterized by serious neurological damage (ataxia, paresis, paralysis, muscle tremors, etc.) that can lead to the animal's death. Historically present in France since the 1960s and endemic around the Mediterranean since the 2000s, WNV has experienced a worrying epidemiological trend since 2022. The rapid spread of its circulation to the Atlantic coast, followed by a marked intensification in 2023, culminated in 2024 with the largest transmission season ever recorded and an unprecedented number of equine cases. In 2025, the spread continued, affecting previously unaffected regions, including Île-de-France, with the simultaneous detection of human, equine, and avian cases. Normandy and Centre-Val de Loire were also affected, confirming the virus's gradual establishment across a large part of the country. Given the recent intensification of WNV circulation in France, the future expansion of its geographic range is a major concern. Strengthening surveillance, as well as ensuring the effectiveness of prevention and protection measures, now depends on urgent and coordinated awareness campaigns targeting all stakeholders, particularly veterinarians, owners, and keepers of equines. Web conference held on April 14, 2026 _____ Chapters: 00:00 Presentation and introduction 00:45 The West Nile Virus (WNV) 05:11 The disease: West Nile fever 07:47 The disease: prevention 12:34 Regulations and surveillance 16:36 Epidemiology of WNV in France 19:39 Conclusion and key takeaways _____ • The schedule of upcoming web conferences: https://cutt.ly/iN9XdkC • All web conference replays: https://cutt.ly/K29mvhq _____ • Visit Equipedia: the reference tool for equine knowledge: https://cutt.ly/UECoDEN • IFCE Facebook group - Equipedia, equine science and innovation: https://cutt.ly/AmG7wQv • Subscribe to our newsletters: https://www.ifce.fr/newsletters/