Isolation and Phylogenetic Analysis of Sindbis Viruses from Mosquitoes in Germany

Abstract

A molecular survey of 16,057 mosquitoes captured in Southwest Germany during the summer of 2009 demonstrated the presence of Sindbis virus (SINV) in Culex spp. and Anopheles maculipennis sensu lato. Phylogenetic analysis of the German SINV strains linked them with Swedish SINV strains, the causative agent of Ockelbo disease in humans.

Isolation and Phylogenetic Analysis of Batai Virus, Germany

“…Mosquito identification (species and sex) as well as virus isolation and RNA extraction was performed as described recently. 7 Extracted RNA was analyzed by a newly designed BATV real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the primers BATAI-Fwd Abstract. A molecular survey including 16,057 mosquitoes captured in Southwest Germany during the summer of 2009 showed the presence of Batai virus (BATV) in Anopheles maculipennis sensu lato.…”

Bats as Potential Reservoir Hosts for Vector-Borne Diseases

“…It was first recognized and isolated from Culex pipiens and Cx. univittatus in 1952 in Egypt (Jöst et al 2010;Kurkela et al 2008;Laine et al 2004). The first record of Sindbis virus in European countries was in 1975 (Laine et al 2004).…”

“…or Aedes spp. (Hubálek 2008;Jöst et al 2010). The first description of symptoms caused by Sindbis virus infection is from Uganda in 1961 (Laine et al 2004).…”

Medical importance of Sindbis virus in south-west Germany

“…2 In 2009, SINV was isolated from Culex and Anopheles mosquitoes that were exclusively trapped within the city center of Weinheim, south-west Germany. 3 Therefore, we initiated this study to investigate the medical importance of SINV in an area with high SINV infection rates in mosquitoes.…”

“…RNA extraction and SINV real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR were performed with serum or plasma samples. 3 Serum samples were investigated for the presence of SINV-specific-IgM and -IgG antibodies using an in-house indirect IFA based on SINV-infected Vero E6 cells. 4 Precise information about the clinical symptoms of each patient was recorded in a questionnaire.…”