About Usutu Virus

For Everyone

Key points

  • Usutu virus spreads through the bite of an infected mosquito.
  • Infection with Usutu virus can cause a mild illness with fever and rash or more severe disease with confusion, weakness, and seizures.
  • No vaccines or medicines are available to prevent or treat Usutu virus disease (Usutu).
  • You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent mosquito bites.
An adult Culex species mosquito resting on a human arm.

Overview

Usutu is a disease caused by a virus spread by infected mosquitoes. Usutu virus has not been found in the United States. The virus is found in parts of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Usutu might be similar to and possibly mistaken for those of West Nile virus disease.

Common symptoms include:

  • Rash
  • Fever
  • Yellowing of the eyes (jaundice)

Symptoms of severe illness can include:

  • High fever
  • Tremors
  • Meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord)
  • Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
For Health Care Providers Clinical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Usutu Virus Disease

How it spreads

Usutu virus spreads to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.

Prevention

People who live in or travel to areas at risk should take steps to prevent mosquito bites. No vaccines or medicines are available to prevent Usutu virus.

Keep Reading Preventing Usutu

Testing and diagnosis

Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any symptoms or signs described above and recently traveled to an area where Usutu virus occurs. Your healthcare provider can order tests to look for Usutu virus or other infections that can cause similar symptoms.

Treatment

There are no specific medicines to treat Usutu. Rest, fluids, and over-the-counter pain medicine might relieve some symptoms. Some patients might need to be hospitalized for intravenous fluids and supportive care for pain, fever, or other related problems.

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)