title: Heterogeneity of West Nile virus genotype 1a in Italy, 2011.
abstract: West Nile virus (WNV) is currently circulating in several European countries and, over recent decades, concomitantly with enhanced surveillance studies and improved diagnostic capabilities, an increase in the geographical distribution and in the number of cases in Europe has been documented. In Italy in 2011, 14 human cases of WNV neuroinvasive infections due to lineage 1 strains were registered in several Italian regions. Here we report WNV partial sequences obtained from serum samples of two patients living in different regions of Italy (Veneto and Sardinia). Phylogenetic analysis, performed on a fragment (566 nt) of the envelope gene, showed that WNV strains circulating in Italy in 2011 belong to lineage 1a, but are different from lineage 1a strains isolated in 2008-2009.The data reported here are consistent with the hypothesis of multiple recent introductions of WNV lineage 1a strains into Italy.
authors.affiliation: Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), Unit of Clinical Microbiology, St Orsola University Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) 'L. Spallanzani', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carletti
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Cà Foncello, Treviso, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rigoli
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Santissima Trinità, Unit of Infectious Diseases, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piga
authors.affiliation: Università Politecnica Marche, Virology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bagnarelli
authors.affiliation: Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), Unit of Clinical Microbiology, St Orsola University Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaibani
authors.affiliation: Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), Unit of Clinical Microbiology, St Orsola University Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierro
authors.affiliation: National Transplant Centre, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nanni Costa
authors.affiliation: Veneto Regional Coordinating Transplant Centre, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) 'L. Spallanzani', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.affiliation: Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), Unit of Clinical Microbiology, St Orsola University Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Landini
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) 'L. Spallanzani', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Caro
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) 'L. Spallanzani', Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Capobianchi
authors.affiliation: Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), Unit of Clinical Microbiology, St Orsola University Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sambri
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000821:virology*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins