Serological and molecular detection of Toscana and other Phleboviruses in patients and sandflies in Tunisia.
BACKGROUND
Our aim is to detect the infection by Toscana virus (TOSV) and other Phleboviruses in the sera and cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) of patients with meningitis in Tunisia. We examined various species of phlebotomus present in Tunisia to determine whether or not a direct relationship exists between cases of meningitis and the viruses circulating in the insect vectors.


METHODS
Patients with the meningeal syndrome were tested for anti-TOSV IgM and IgG using an indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and for the presence of TOSV and other Phleboviruses using a RT-PCR test.


RESULTS
Of 263 patients were tested using ELISA of which 12.16% (n = 32/263) were IgM positive for anti TOSV. Of these 32 patients, 78% (n = 25/32) were IgG positive. 12.86% (n = 18/140) of the CSF samples tested by RT-PCR were positive for the Toscana virus.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms, for the first time, that TOSV is involved in a neurological disorder in North Africa. The incidence of this involvement in Tunisia conforms with observations made in other Mediterranean countries. Moreover, for the first time, a molecular approach was used to detect SFSV in a Tunisian patient displaying neurological symptoms.
Ons
O
Fezaa
Youmna
Y
M'ghirbi
Gianni Gori
GG
Savellini
Lamia
L
Ammari
Nahed
N
Hogga
Henda
H
Triki
Maria Grazia
MG
Cusi
Ali
A
Bouattour
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000821:virology*; D029301:Sandfly fever Naples virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D000914:Antibodies, Viral