title: Laboratory Validation of the Sand Fly Fever Virus Antigen Assay.
abstract: Sandfly fever group viruses in the genus Phlebovirus (family Bunyaviridae) are widely distributed across the globe and are a cause of disease in military troops and indigenous peoples. We assessed the laboratory sensitivity and specificity of the Sand Fly Fever Virus Antigen Assay, a rapid dipstick assay designed to detect sandfly fever Naples virus (SFNV) and Toscana virus (TOSV) against a panel of phleboviruses. The assay detected SFNV and TOSV, as well as other phleboviruses including Aguacate, Anahanga, Arumowot, Chagres, and Punta Toro viruses. It did not detect sandfly fever Sicilian, Heartland, Rio Grande, or Rift Valley fever viruses. It did not produce false positive results in the presence of uninfected sand flies (Lutzomyia longipalpis) or Cache Valley virus, a distantly related bunyavirus. Results from this laboratory evaluation suggest that this assay may be used as a rapid field-deployable assay to detect sand flies infected with TOSV and SFNV, as well as an assortment of other phleboviruses.
authors.affiliation: 1  U.S Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Epidemiology Consult Service, 2510 5th Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433.
authors.forename: Will K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.affiliation: 2  Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, University of Wyoming, 1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY 82070.
authors.forename: Mitchell Scott
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Szymczak
authors.affiliation: 3  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DVBD, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521.
authors.forename: Kristen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Burkhalter
authors.affiliation: 2  Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, University of Wyoming, 1174 Snowy Range Road, Laramie, WY 82070.
authors.forename: Myrna M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002042:Bunyamwera virus / Q000276:immunology; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000276:immunology; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000821:virology*; D029301:Sandfly fever Naples virus / Q000276:immunology*
keywords: Phlebovirus; Toscana virus; assay; dipstick; sandfly fever