Rapid identification of Toscana virus by nested PCR during an outbreak in the Siena area of Italy.
The sand fly-transmitted Toscana virus is recognized as an etiologic agent of an aseptic meningitis with a long convalescence. This infection has been reported overall in many tourists or in a seronegative population circulating in endemic Mediterranean areas (Italy, Portugal, Egypt, and Cyprus). We report a cluster of acute Toscana virus infections in the local population during the summer of 1995. Twenty-one clinical cases of meningitis were investigated for the presence of Toscana virus by nested PCR performed on the S segment of the virus RNA extracted from cerebrospinal fluid samples.
Valassina
M
M
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Siena, Italy.
Cusi
M G
MG
Valensin
P E
PE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002043:Bunyaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008875:Middle Aged