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Epidemiology of Toscana virus in South Tuscany over the years 2011-2019. J Clin Virol 2020; 128:104452. [PMID: 32474372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2020.104452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toscana virus (TOSV) is a Phlebovirus transmitted to humans by phlebotomines and represent an etiological agent of acute aseptic meningitis (AAM) in countries where the virus is endemic, including Italy. Incidence of TOSV infections is closely associated with the geographical distribution of the phlebotomine vectors which in turn is affected by climate changes that determine survival and spread. As a result, TOSV infections show a seasonal trend with a peak of incidence in summer months. OBJECTIVES To measure the prevalence of TOSV infections in AAM patients in central Italy and evaluate the climate changes in phlebotomine vectors ecology and virus propagation. STUDY DESIGN One thousand and seventy-three cerebrospinal fluid samples (CSFs), collected from patients with suspected viral meningitis, were collected over nine years (2011-2019) during the May to October period and tested for viruses most commonly associated with AAM. Serum samples addressed to the Microbiology and Virology Unit of "S. Maria delle Scotte" Hospital for confirmation acute TOSV infection (n = 324) were tested for TOSV-specific IgM and IgG. RESULTS Among the CSF samples, 1.3% were positive for Enteroviruses; 0.9% for Varicella zoster virus, 1.9% for Herpes simplex virus type-1/2 and 4.6% for TOSV. Serum IgM analyses disclosed TOSV-specific IgM in 27.1% of sera suggesting the predominant involvement of TOSV in neuroinvasive infections. CONCLUSIONS This data confirms the predominant role of TOSV as causative agent of AAM during the summer time in endemic countries. Moreover, climate changes affecting phlebotomine vectors persistence, reproduction and activity could be involved in the cyclic nature of TOSV infection reported during the last nine years.
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de Oliveira Filho EF, Moreira-Soto A, Fischer C, Rasche A, Sander AL, Avey-Arroyo J, Arroyo-Murillo F, Corrales-Aguilar E, Drexler JF. Sloths host Anhanga virus-related phleboviruses across large distances in time and space. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 67:11-17. [PMID: 31420970 PMCID: PMC7168552 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Sloths are genetically and physiologically divergent mammals. Phleboviruses are major arthropod‐borne viruses (arboviruses) causing disease in humans and other animals globally. Sloths host arboviruses, but virus detections are scarce. A phlebovirus termed Anhanga virus (ANHV) was isolated from a Brazilian Linnaeus's two‐toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) in 1962. Here, we investigated the presence of phleboviruses in sera sampled in 2014 from 74 Hoffmann's two‐toed (Choloepus hoffmanni, n = 65) and three‐toed (Bradypus variegatus, n = 9) sloths in Costa Rica by broadly reactive RT‐PCR. A clinically healthy adult Hoffmann's two‐toed sloth was infected with a phlebovirus. Viral load in this animal was high at 8.5 × 107 RNA copies/ml. The full coding sequence of the virus was determined by deep sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses and sequence distance comparisons revealed that the new sloth virus, likely representing a new phlebovirus species, provisionally named Penshurt virus (PEHV), was most closely related to ANHV, with amino acid identities of 93.1%, 84.6%, 94.7% and 89.0% in the translated L, M, N and NSs genes, respectively. Significantly more non‐synonymous mutations relative to ANHV occurred in the M gene encoding the viral glycoproteins and in the NSs gene encoding a putative interferon antagonist compared to L and N genes. This was compatible with viral adaptation to different sloth species and with micro‐evolutionary processes associated with immune evasion during the genealogy of sloth‐associated phleboviruses. However, gene‐wide mean dN/dS ratios were low at 0.02–0.15 and no sites showed significant evidence for positive selection, pointing to comparable selection pressures within sloth‐associated viruses and genetically related phleboviruses infecting hosts other than sloths. The detection of a new phlebovirus closely‐related to ANHV, in sloths from Costa Rica fifty years after and more than 3,000 km away from the isolation of ANHV confirmed the host associations of ANHV‐related phleboviruses with the two extant species of two‐toed sloths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmilson F de Oliveira Filho
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrés Moreira-Soto
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,Faculty of Microbiology, Virology-CIET (Research Center for Tropical Diseases), University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Carlo Fischer
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Rasche
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Sander
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Eugenia Corrales-Aguilar
- Faculty of Microbiology, Virology-CIET (Research Center for Tropical Diseases), University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Jan Felix Drexler
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), associated partner site Charité, Berlin, Germany.,Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector-Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
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Remoli ME, Bongiorno G, Fortuna C, Marchi A, Bianchi R, Khoury C, Ciufolini MG, Gramiccia M. Experimental evaluation of sand fly collection and storage methods for the isolation and molecular detection of Phlebotomus-borne viruses. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:576. [PMID: 26552444 PMCID: PMC4640371 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1192-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several viruses have been recently isolated from Mediterranean phlebotomine sand flies; some are known to cause human disease while some are new to science. To monitor the Phlebotomus-borne viruses spreading, field studies are in progress using different sand fly collection and storage methods. Two main sampling techniques consist of CDC light traps, an attraction method allowing collection of live insects in which the virus is presumed to be fairly preserved, and sticky traps, an interception method suitable to collect dead specimens in high numbers, with a risk for virus viability or integrity. Sand flies storage requires a "deep cold chain" or specimen preservation in ethanol. In the present study the influence of sand fly collection and storage methods on viral isolation and RNA detection performances was evaluated experimentally. METHODS Specimens of laboratory-reared Phlebotomus perniciosus were artificially fed with blood containing Toscana virus (family Bunyaviridae, genus Phlebovirus). Various collection and storage conditions of blood-fed females were evaluated to mimic field procedures using single and pool samples. Isolation on VERO cell cultures, quantitative Real time-Retro-transcriptase (RT)-PCR and Nested-RT-PCR were performed according to techniques commonly used in surveillance studies. RESULTS Live engorged sand flies stored immediately at -80 °C were the most suitable sample for phlebovirus identification by both virus isolation and RNA detection. The viral isolation rate remained very high (26/28) for single dead engorged females frozen after 1 day, while it was moderate (10/30) for specimens collected by sticky traps maintained up to 3 days at room temperature and then stored frozen without ethanol. Opposed to viral isolation, molecular RNA detection kept very high on dead sand flies collected by sticky traps when left at room temperature up to 6 days post blood meal and then stored frozen in presence (88/95) or absence (87/88) of ethanol. Data were confirmed using sand fly pools. CONCLUSIONS While the collection and storage methods investigated had not much impact on the ability to detect viral RNA by molecular methods, they affected the capacity to recover viable viruses. Consequently, sand fly collection and handling procedures should be established in advance depending on the goal of the surveillance studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elena Remoli
- Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Unit of Viral diseases and attenuated vaccine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
| | - Gioia Bongiorno
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Unit of Vector-borne Diseases and International Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Claudia Fortuna
- Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Unit of Viral diseases and attenuated vaccine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
| | - Antonella Marchi
- Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Unit of Viral diseases and attenuated vaccine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Bianchi
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Unit of Vector-borne Diseases and International Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Cristina Khoury
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Unit of Vector-borne Diseases and International Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Maria Grazia Ciufolini
- Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Unit of Viral diseases and attenuated vaccine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
| | - Marina Gramiccia
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Unit of Vector-borne Diseases and International Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
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Pietrantoni A, Fortuna C, Remoli ME, Ciufolini MG, Superti F. Bovine lactoferrin inhibits Toscana virus infection by binding to heparan sulphate. Viruses 2015; 7:480-95. [PMID: 25643293 PMCID: PMC4353899 DOI: 10.3390/v7020480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Toscana virus is an emerging sandfly-borne bunyavirus in Mediterranean Europe responsible for neurological diseases in humans. It accounts for about 80% of paediatric meningitis cases during the summer. Despite the important impact of Toscana virus infection-associated disease on human health, currently approved vaccines or effective antiviral treatments are not available. In this research, we have analyzed the effect of bovine lactoferrin, a bi-globular iron-binding glycoprotein with potent antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities, on Toscana virus infection in vitro. Our results showed that lactoferrin was capable of inhibiting Toscana virus replication in a dose-dependent manner. Results obtained when lactoferrin was added to the cells during different phases of viral infection showed that lactoferrin was able to prevent viral replication when added during the viral adsorption step or during the entire cycle of virus infection, demonstrating that its action takes place in an early phase of viral infection. In particular, our results demonstrated that the anti-Toscana virus action of lactoferrin took place on virus attachment to the cell membrane, mainly through a competition for common glycosaminoglycan receptors. These findings provide further insights on the antiviral activity of bovine lactoferrin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agostina Pietrantoni
- Department of Technology and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
| | - Claudia Fortuna
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
| | - Maria Elena Remoli
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
| | - Maria Grazia Ciufolini
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
| | - Fabiana Superti
- Department of Technology and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Rome 00161, Italy.
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Baggieri M, Marchi A, Bucci P, Nicoletti L, Magurano F. Genetic variability of the S segment of Toscana virus. Virus Res 2015; 200:35-44. [PMID: 25616048 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2015.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Revised: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Toscana virus (TOSV) was originally isolated in 1971 from a pool of Phlebotomus perniciosus sandflies collected in Grosseto province (Central Italy). Since its first isolation, several studies have been conducted in Italy and other Mediterranean countries in order to identify its possible animal reservoirs, spread of infection and genetic variability. Phylogenetic analysis conducted on TOSV genome demonstrated the co-circulation of two major lineages in the Mediterranean areas, TOSV A and TOSV B. This study reports the results of the genetic analysis of 32 viral strains isolated in Italy in the last 30 years from patients hospitalized with neurological disease, from sandflies and from the brain of a bat. The genetic diversity of TOSV was investigated by determining the sequences of the whole S segment. Phylogenetic analysis showed that TOSV A lineage represents the lineage circulating in Italy. Moreover, the current variability of lineage A is similar to that of lineage B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Baggieri
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Antonella Marchi
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola Bucci
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Loredana Nicoletti
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Fabio Magurano
- Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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Abstract
In this chapter, we describe 73 zoonotic viruses that were isolated in Northern Eurasia and that belong to the different families of viruses with a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) genome. The family includes viruses with a segmented negative-sense ssRNA genome (families Bunyaviridae and Orthomyxoviridae) and viruses with a positive-sense ssRNA genome (families Togaviridae and Flaviviridae). Among them are viruses associated with sporadic cases or outbreaks of human disease, such as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (viruses of the genus Hantavirus), Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHFV, Nairovirus), California encephalitis (INKV, TAHV, and KHATV; Orthobunyavirus), sandfly fever (SFCV and SFNV, Phlebovirus), Tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV, Flavivirus), Omsk hemorrhagic fever (OHFV, Flavivirus), West Nile fever (WNV, Flavivirus), Sindbis fever (SINV, Alphavirus) Chikungunya fever (CHIKV, Alphavirus) and others. Other viruses described in the chapter can cause epizootics in wild or domestic animals: Geta virus (GETV, Alphavirus), Influenza A virus (Influenzavirus A), Bhanja virus (BHAV, Phlebovirus) and more. The chapter also discusses both ecological peculiarities that promote the circulation of these viruses in natural foci and factors influencing the occurrence of epidemic and epizootic outbreaks
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Charrel RN, Bichaud L, de Lamballerie X. Emergence of Toscana virus in the mediterranean area. World J Virol 2012; 1:135-41. [PMID: 24175218 PMCID: PMC3782275 DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v1.i5.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2012] [Revised: 09/18/2012] [Accepted: 10/10/2012] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
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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Affiliation(s)
- Remi N Charrel
- Remi N Charrel, Laurence Bichaud, Xavier de Lamballerie, Aix Marseille University, IRD French Institute of Research for Development, EHESP French School of Public Health, UMR_D 190 "Emergence des Pathologies Virales", 13005 Marseille, France
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Kay MK, Gibney KB, Riedo FX, Kosoy OL, Lanciotti RS, Lambert AJ. Toscana virus infection in American traveler returning from Sicily, 2009. Emerg Infect Dis 2010; 16:1498-500. [PMID: 20735948 PMCID: PMC3294990 DOI: 10.3201/eid1609.100505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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Cusi MG, Savellini GG, Zanelli G. Toscana virus epidemiology: from Italy to beyond. Open Virol J 2010; 4:22-8. [PMID: 20517492 DOI: 10.2174/1874357901004020022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2009] [Revised: 11/04/2009] [Accepted: 11/25/2009] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus which is transmitted to humans by Phlebotomus spp sandflies. Infection is the cause of brain injuries, such as aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis, in Italy mainly during the summer. More recently some unusual clinical manifestations due to TOSV with severe sequelae, such as ischemic complications and hydrocephalus, have been reported. TOSV represents an important emerging pathogen and its presence is being investigated in several European countries on the Mediterranean basin, including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus. Phylogenetic analysis has distinguished two genotypes of TOSV, A and B; the first is circulating mainly in Italy and the second in Spain, indicating a different geographic distribution possibly related to the vector. This distribution, evolving with the climate, globalization and habitat modification, has implications for the epidemiology of TOSV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria G Cusi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Microbiology Section, University of Siena, Policlinico "S. Maria alle Scotte", Siena, Italy
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10
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Abstract
Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus which is transmitted to humans by Phlebotomus spp sandflies. Infection is the cause of brain injuries, such as aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis, in Italy mainly during the summer. More recently some unusual clinical manifestations due to TOSV with severe sequelae, such as ischemic complications and hydrocephalus, have been reported. TOSV represents an important emerging pathogen and its presence is being investigated in several European countries on the Mediterranean basin, including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus. Phylogenetic analysis has distinguished two genotypes of TOSV, A and B; the first is circulating mainly in Italy and the second in Spain, indicating a different geographic distribution possibly related to the vector. This distribution, evolving with the climate, globalization and habitat modification, has implications for the epidemiology of TOSV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria G Cusi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Microbiology Section, University of Siena, Policlinico "S. Maria alle Scotte", Siena, Italy
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Collao X, Palacios G, Sanbonmatsu-Gámez S, Pérez-Ruiz M, Negredo AI, Navarro-Marí JM, Grandadam M, Aransay AM, Lipkin WI, Tenorio A, Sánchez-Seco MP. Genetic diversity of Toscana virus. Emerg Infect Dis 2009; 15:574-7. [PMID: 19331735 PMCID: PMC2671431 DOI: 10.3201/eid1504.081111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Distribution of Toscana virus (TOSV) is evolving with climate change, and pathogenicity may be higher in nonexposed populations outside areas of current prevalence (Mediterranean Basin). To characterize genetic diversity of TOSV, we determined the coding sequences of isolates from Spain and France. TOSV is more diverse than other well-studied phleboviruses (e.g.,Rift Valley fever virus).
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Valentini M, Valassina M, Savellini GG, Cusi MG. Nucleotide variability of Toscana virus M segment in strains isolated from clinical cases. Virus Res 2008; 135:187-90. [PMID: 18353481 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2008.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2007] [Revised: 01/28/2008] [Accepted: 01/30/2008] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Toscana virus (TOSV), a member of the Bunyaviridae family, is an important etiologic agent of neurologic infection transmissible to humans by bites of the Phlebotomus spp. In consideration of the variations in the antigenic properties of Bunyaviruses and their potential genetic variability, we analysed a large region (2500nt) of the Toscana virus M segment coding for the non-structural protein (NSm) and the G(N) and G(C) glycoproteins in several strains isolated from patients with meningitis from 1998 to 2004 in the region of Tuscany in Italy. The sequences were compared with the reference strain of Toscana virus isolated from phlebotomus (ISS Phl. 3) and revealed some changes in amino acids, particularly in the G(C) protein, that are probably involved in recognition and binding to the cell receptor. The analyses were aimed at identifying the amino acid changes commonly to all of the clinical isolates potentially related to TOSV virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Valentini
- Department of Molecular Biology, Microbiology Section, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Venturi G, Madeddu G, Rezza G, Ciccozzi M, Pettinato ML, Cilliano M, Fiorentini C, Mura MS, Ciufolini MG. Detection of Toscana virus central nervous system infections in Sardinia Island, Italy. J Clin Virol 2007; 40:90-1. [PMID: 17662649 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2007.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2007] [Accepted: 06/11/2007] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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