Serological evidence of Toscana virus infection in Portuguese patients

Amaro, Fátima; Luz, Teresa Elane Bezerra; Parreira, P.; Marchi, Antonella; Ciufolini, Maria Grazia; Alves, Maria João

doi:10.1017/s0950268811001403

Cited by 15 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…From 2002 to 2005, 106 CSF samples, collected between June and September in patients younger than 30-year-old, were tested for TOSV by RT-PCR, and resulted in the detection of 6 positives [43] . In a seroprevalence study targeting 538 patients who were suspect of vector-borne virus infections between 2004 and 2008, 4.2% of those with neurological signs, and 1.3% of those without neurological signs were found to contain IgG reactive against TOSV [44] .…”

Section: Portugalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergence of Toscana virus in the mediterranean area

Charrel

Bichaud²,

Lamballerie³

2012

WJV

102

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Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus, identified in 1971, from Phlebotomus perniciosus and Phlebotomus perfiliewi in central Italy. TOSV belongs to the Phlebovirus genus within the Bunyaviridae family.As other bunyaviruses, the genome of TOSV consists of 3 segments (S for small, M for Medium, and L for Large) respectively encoding non structural and capsid proteins, envelope structural proteins, and the viral RNA-dependant RNA-polymerase. It is transmitted by sand flies. Therefore its distribution is dictated by that of the arthropod vectors, and virus circulation peaks during summertime when sandfly populations are active. Here, we reviewed the epidemiology of TOSV in the old world. First evidence of its pathogenicity for humans, specifically its propensity to cause central nervous system (CNS) infections such as meningitis and encephalitis, was reported in central Italy. After 2000, it was recognized that TOSV had a much larger geographic distribution than initially believed, and was present in most of the Western European countries located on the northern border of the Mediterranean Sea (Portugal, Spain, France, Greece, Croatia) as well as eastern countries such as Cyprus and Turkey. In the countries where TOSV is present, it is among the three most prevalent viruses in meningitis during the warm seasons, together with enteroviruses and herpesviruses. Up to now, epidemiological data concerning Northern Africa and other countries located south of the Mediterranean are scarce. TOSV must be considered an emerging pathogen. Despite the important role played by TOSV in CNS infections, it remains a neglected agent and is rarely considered by physicians in diagnostic algorithms of CNS infections and febrile illness during the warm season, probably because of the lack of information.

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Section: Portugalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergence of Toscana virus in the mediterranean area

Charrel

Bichaud²,

Lamballerie³

2012

WJV

102

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“…5,3,15 By contrast, the seroprevalence found in this investigation is higher than that observed in Portugal: 3.1% in the group showed no neurological signs and 4.2% of patients had neurological signs. 16 In the absence of data concerning the TOSV reservoir host, serological variations are strictly correlated with favorable habitats for the sand fly vectors, 6 with a seroprevalence distribution based on socioeconomic status. Indeed, in Tuscany, TOSV seroprevalence was found to be higher in forestry workers (77.2%) than in the urban population (22.7%).…”

Section: Page 9 Of 20mentioning

confidence: 99%

Seroprevalence of Toscana virus infection in Tunisia

Fezaa

Bahri

Bouafif³

et al. 2013

International Journal of Infectious Diseases

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“…On the other hand, SFNV and SFSV also frequently cause epidemics of febrile illness during the summer [1]. In Portugal, human cases of TOSV meningitis have been reported [7–10] along with the detection of antibodies to TOSV in blood donors, professionals with outdoor activity, environmental health care technicians, bird banders, hunters, individuals seropositive to Leishmania and individuals with symptoms and laboratory diagnostic request for vector-borne viruses [10, 11]. The presence of SFSV antibodies has also been detected in human sera [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serological association between Leishmania infantum and sand fly fever Sicilian (but not Toscana) virus in sheltered dogs from southern Portugal

et al. 2017

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BackgroundPhlebotomine sand fly-borne diseases such as leishmanioses and phleboviruses are emerging threats to animal and public health. Canine leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania infantum is an endemic zoonosis in Portugal. Antibodies to Toscana virus (TOSV) and sand fly fever Sicilian virus (SFSV) were also reported in dogs from the south of the country. The aim of this work was to evaluate a possible association between exposure to L. infantum, TOSV and SFSV in sheltered dogs from the south of Portugal.ResultsSeventy-six (13.1%) out of 581 dogs were seropositive for L. infantum, 327 (56.3%) for SFSV and 36 (6.2%) for TOSV. Six dogs were co-exposed with L. infantum and TOSV, 51 with L. infantum and SFSV and 25 with TOSV and SFSV. One dog had antibodies to the three pathogens. Leishmania infantum seroprevalence was significantly higher in pure breed dogs than in mongrels and in dogs with clinical signs while SFSV positivity was significantly higher in males, in pure and cross-breed dogs than in mongrels and in those not treated with insecticides. Seroprevalence for both viruses was significantly higher in dogs over than 7 years-old than in those aged 1–7. A significant association was observed between the presence of antibodies to L. infantum and SFSV.ConclusionsThe presence of antibodies to several phlebotomine sand fly-borne pathogens in dogs, reinforces the need to implement efficient prophylactic measures to prevent infection among vertebrate hosts including humans. The results also indicate that dogs are good sentinels for assessing human exposure to TOSV and SFSV. Further studies must be performed to elucidate the role of dogs in the dynamics of transmission and if they can play a role as amplifying or reservoir hosts in the natural cycle of these viruses. Public and animal health impacts of these phleboviruses in Portugal should be addressed via serological and virological studies on both phlebotomine sand flies and vertebrate hosts, especially on humans.

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Serological evidence of Toscana virus infection in Portuguese patients

Cited by 15 publications

References 19 publications

Emergence of Toscana virus in the mediterranean area

Emergence of Toscana virus in the mediterranean area

Seroprevalence of Toscana virus infection in Tunisia

Serological association between Leishmania infantum and sand fly fever Sicilian (but not Toscana) virus in sheltered dogs from southern Portugal

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