title: Detection of specific antibodies against West Nile and Usutu viruses in healthy blood donors in northern Italy, 2010-2011.
abstract: Neutralizing antibodies against West Nile (WNV) and Usutu (USUV) viruses were measured in 6000 samples collected, between 1 September 2010 and 30 June 2011, from blood donors living in different districts of Emilia-Romagna, northeastern Italy. On the basis of the microneutralization assay (MNTA), 47 (0.78%) subjects were positive for WNV and 14 (0.23%) for USUV. These results were compared with those obtained 2 years ago and suggest an increased circulation of USUV among humans in Emilia-Romagna.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Clinical Microbiology, Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies (CRREM), St Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaibani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spadafora
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Randi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parenti
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Finarelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Landini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sambri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005416:Flavivirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018177:Flavivirus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: Blood donors; Italy; Usutu virus; West Nile virus; seroprevalence