Characterization of a sandfly fever Sicilian virus isolated during a sandfly fever epidemic in Turkey.
BACKGROUND
Phleboviruses cause sandfly fever but isolates are rare.


OBJECTIVE
To analyse samples from concurrent outbreaks of suspected sandfly fever in the Mediterranean provinces of Adana, Izmir and the central province of Ankara, Turkey.


METHODS
Samples from acute cases were analysed by immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Virus isolation was attempted and pyrosequencing performed.


RESULTS
In IFA 38% of 106 samples tested scored IgM positive for sandfly fever Sicillian virus (SFSV), 12% for SFSV/sandfly fever Cyprus Virus (SFCV) and only 4% for SFCV. A sandfly fever Sicilian type virus designated sandfly fever Turkey virus (SFTV) was isolated. The S-segment sequence of SFTV had a homology of 98% to that of SFCV. The M-segment sequence showed a 91.1% homology to the only SFSV sequence available. The L-segment sequence showed a homology of 58% and 60.3% to Toscana virus and Rift Valley Fever virus sequences, a partial 201nt sequence showed 95.5% homology to the SFSV Sabin strain.


CONCLUSIONS
A new phlebovirus related to sandfly fever Sicilian virus, SFTV was isolated and characterized from acute patient material. The sandfly fever Sicilian virus activity seems to be changing in Turkey. Entomological studies are needed.
Carhan
Ahmet
A
Refik Saydam National Public Health Agency, Ankara, Turkey.
Uyar
Yavuz
Y
Ozkaya
Etem
E
Ertek
Mustafa
M
Dobler
Gerhard
G
Dilcher
Meik
M
Wang
Yongjie
Y
Spiegel
Martin
M
Hufert
Frank
F
Weidmann
Manfred
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010217:Phlebotomus Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012367:RNA, Viral