EN
West Nile Virus is an icosahedral, spherical, 50 nm in diameter arbovirus from the Flaviviridae family. Its genome contains a single stranded RNA with positive polarity (ssRNA+). Virions are build of three structural proteins: envelope glycoprotein E, core protein C, and membrane protein prM. Apart from them, the virus genome codes seven non-structural proteins: NS1, NS2a, NS2b, NS3, NS4a, NS4b, and NS5. Transmission vectors of WNV are mosquitoes from the Culex pipiens species and other blood-eating insects. Its main reservoir are migrating birds, while humans and other mammals are its occasional host. West Nile Virus shows a high neurotropism and is the cause of morbidity and mortality in different animals and people. During the last ten years it has been identified in Asia, Africa, Europe and both Americas. WNV was also found in Poland. Diagnosis of WNV by the use of specific primers in RT-PCR method allows the identification of the virus strain and its attendant characteristics.