title: Viral isolates of a novel putative phlebovirus in the Marche Region of Italy.
abstract: Thirty pools from 900 (540 females and 360 males) Phlebotomus perfiliewi sandflies collected during the summer of 2012 in the Fermo area (Marche Region, central Italy) were tested for the presence of Phleboviruses. A nested polymerase chain reaction was performed using degenerated primers amplifying a fragment of the polymerase gene (large segment) and a fragment of the nucleoprotein gene (small segment) of the genus Phlebovirus. One pool was positive for Toscana virus, as expected from results of studies in the area, and six pools were positive for a putative novel Phlebovirus. Virus isolation in Vero cells was performed. Minimum field infection rates/1,000 insects processed for the novel and Toscana viruses were 6.7 and 1.0, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the novel Phlebovirus, tentatively named Fermo virus, placed it in the Sandfly Fever Naples virus serocomplex.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Viral Diseases and Attenuated Vaccines, and Unit of Vector-Borne Diseases and International Health, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Disease, and Global Health Unit, Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Remoli
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fortuna
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bucci
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Argentini
authors.forename: Gioia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bongiorno
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maroli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gradoni
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gramiccia
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ciufolini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000821:virology*; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D029301:Sandfly fever Naples virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral