title: Lack of usutu virus RNA in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with encephalitis of unknown etiology, Tuscany, Italy.
abstract: Usutu virus (USUV) is an African mosquito-borne flavivirus associated with human neurological disorders in Europe. Recently, USUV introduction in Europe has been traced back to Eurasian blackbirds deaths in the Tuscany region of Italy in 1996. Ninety-six cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with encephalitis of unknown etiology diagnosed in 2010-2013 were screened to determine whether USUV circulates in humans in Tuscany. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction, no positive patient was found. USUV does not seem to cause neuroinvasive disorders in humans in Tuscany.
authors.affiliation: Virology Unit, Pisa University Hospital, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mazzetti
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Focosi
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Macera
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scagnolari
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manzin
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: Luca Ceccherini
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Nelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology; D018349:Encephalitis Viruses, Japanese / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D018177:Flavivirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: CSF; USUV; encephalitis; real-time PCR