Usutu virus infection in a patient who underwent orthotropic liver transplantation, Italy, August-September 2009.
We report a case of Usutu virus (USUV)-related illness in a patient that underwent an orthotropic liver transplant (OLT). Post transplant, the patient developed clinical signs of a possible neuroinvasive disease with a significant loss of cerebral functions. USUV was isolated in Vero E6 cells from a plasma sample obtained immediately before the surgery, and USUV RNA was demonstrated by RT-PCR and sequencing. This report enlarges the panel of emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus-related disease in humans.
Cavrini
F
F
Clinical Microbiology Unit, Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies-CRREM, St. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Gaibani
P
P
Longo
G
G
Pierro
A M
AM
Rossini
G
G
Bonilauri
P
P
Gerunda
G E
GE
Gerundi
G E
GE
Di Benedetto
F
F
Pasetto
A
A
Girardis
M
M
Dottori
M
M
Landini
M P
MP
Sambri
V
V
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005416:Flavivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018177:Flavivirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged