title: Canine Infections and Partial S Segment Sequence Analysis of Toscana Virus in Turkey.
abstract: Toscana virus (TOSV) is a sandfly-borne bunyavirus with a significant public health impact. Preliminary studies have revealed TOSV exposure in dogs and they were suggested as potential reservoirs. This study was performed to characterize canine TOSV infections in an endemic region. Sequencing of TOSV small (S) segment in several previously identified specimens was also undertaken to reveal viral genealogy.
  
  
  
  Canine and feline plasma were collected in several districts of Mersin province, Mediterranean Anatolia, Turkey, during May-September, 2015. Phlebovirus RNA was screened through two nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, targeting S and large (L) segments of the viral genome. A kinetoplast minicircle nested PCR was employed for Leishmania DNA detection and typing. Previously collected TOSV-positive specimens from humans, dogs, cats, and sandflies from various regions in Turkey and Cyprus were further evaluated through the S segment PCR. All amplicons were characterized through sequencing.
  
  
  
  A total of 210 specimens that comprise canine (76.2%) and feline (23.8%) plasma were screened. In three (1.9%) and two (1.3%) canine specimens, TOSV and Leishmania nucleic acids were detected, respectively. The TOSV strains were characterized as genotype B, and Leishmania infantum was identified in positive specimens. Twenty-four partial S segment sequences were amplified, which demonstrated a maximum intramural diversity of 3.88% in the nucleotide level. Sequence comparisons revealed significant similarities to particular genotype B strains characterized in Spain and France, whereas a notable divergence was observed among several TOSV strains. Single or recurrent amino acid substitutions were noted in eight residues of the viral nucleocapsid.
  
  
  
  Canine infections of TOSV genotype B, with temporal and spatial association with L. infantum, were detected. Divergent TOSV S segment sequences with amino acid substitutions, presumably associated with host adaptation, were observed.
authors.affiliation: 1 Advanced Technology of Education, Research and Application Center, Mersin University , Mersin, Turkey .
authors.forename: Ender
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dincer
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yuzuncu Yıl University , Van, Turkey .
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karapinar
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Biotechnology, Mersin University , Mersin, Turkey .
authors.forename: Mert
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oktem
authors.affiliation: 4 Petical Veterinary Hospital , Mersin, Turkey .
authors.forename: Merve
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozbaba
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University , Ankara, Turkey .
authors.forename: Aykut
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozkul
authors.affiliation: 6 Virology Unit, Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University , Ankara, Turkey .
authors.forename: Koray
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ergunay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D060085:Coinfection; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D004285:Dogs; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011576:Psychodidae / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D029301:Sandfly fever Naples virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Arbovirus(es); Leishmania; Phebovirus; Toscana virus; Turkey; bunyaviruses; canine; dogs; sandfly (flies)