Emergence of Toscana Virus, Romania, 2017–2018
Corneliu Petru Popescu, Ani Ioana Cotar, Sorin Dinu, Mihaela Zaharia, Grațiela Ţârdei, Emanoil Ceaușu, Daniela Bădescu, Simona Ruță, Cornelia Svetlana Ceianu, Simin Aysel Florescu
Abstract
T oscana phlebovirus (TOSV; genus Phlebovirus, family Phenuiviridae) is transmitted by sand fl ies. Three genetic lineages (A, B, and C) with different geographic distribution have been described to date. TOSV is the only sand fl y-transmitted virus causing neuroinvasive disease in humans and the most prevalent arthropodborne virus in the Mediterranean area; however, it remains a neglected pathogen and is seldom included in the diagnostic algorithm for central nervous system (CNS) infections (1-4).
Topics & Concepts
VirologyVirusLineage (genetic)Reverse transcription polymerase chain reactionBiologyReverse transcriptaseMedicinePolymerase chain reactionGeneGeneticsMessenger RNAViral Infections and VectorsMosquito-borne diseases and controlViral Infections and Outbreaks Research