2,770 cases of arboviral disease reported in 48 states and D.C. in 2023

In 2023, 48 states and the District of Columbia reported 2,770 human arboviral disease cases, with West Nile Virus (WNV) being the most common, according to research published in the June 12 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Hannah Padda, D.V.M., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues summarized 2023 data for nationally notifiable domestic arboviral diseases.

The researchers found 2,770 human arboviral disease cases, including 2,022 hospitalizations and 208 deaths (73% and 8%, respectively) reported by 48 states and the District of Columbia.

In 2023, as in previous years, the most commonly reported domestic arboviral disease was WNV, accounting for 2,628 (95%) of all reported cases. Of the case onsets, 91% occurred from July to September. In 2023, three WNV disease cases occurred among patients infected through organ transplantation from two donors.

The second most common arboviral disease reported was Powassan virus disease (49 cases), which increased from the previous record high in 2022; onsets were evenly distributed during April to December. Among children, the La Crosse virus was the most common cause of arboviral disease; most cases were classified as neuroinvasive.

“Arboviral disease testing should be considered by clinicians for patients with an acute febrile or neurologic illness, including recipients of organ transplants or blood transfusions, particularly during times when ticks and mosquitoes are active,” the authors write.

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