title: Human cases of Sindbis fever in South Africa, 2006-2010.
abstract: Sindbis virus (SINV), the prototype positive-sense RNA alphavirus, causes febrile arthritis and is present throughout Afro-Eurasia. Little is known of the epidemiology of Sindbis fever due to insufficient surveillance in most endemic countries. The epidemiological features of Sindbis fever in humans in South Africa are described here based on a retrospective study of suspected arbovirus cases submitted for laboratory investigation from 2006 to 2010. Cases were detected annually mostly during the late summer/early autumn months and an increase in cases was noted for 2010, coinciding with an outbreak of Rift Valley fever. Cases were reported most often from the central plateau of South Africa and involved mostly males. No severe or fatal cases were reported and cases were associated with febrile arthralgia as commonly reported for SINV infection. Further surveillance is required to reveal the true extent of the morbidity of Sindbis fever in South Africa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Storm
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Markotter
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Leman
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dermaux-Msimang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Nel
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Paweska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018354:Alphavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003465:Culex / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D012845:Sindbis Virus; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult