Detection of Toscana virus from an adult traveler returning to Australia with encephalitis

Katherine E Arden; Claire Heney; Babak Shaban; Graeme R Nimmo; Michael D Nissen; Theo P Sloots; Ian M Mackay

doi:10.1002/jmv.24839

Detection of Toscana virus from an adult traveler returning to Australia with encephalitis

J Med Virol. 2017 Oct;89(10):1861-1864. doi: 10.1002/jmv.24839. Epub 2017 May 29.

Authors

Katherine E Arden¹, Claire Heney², Babak Shaban³, Graeme R Nimmo², Michael D Nissen^{1

4}, Theo P Sloots^{1

2

3

4}, Ian M Mackay^{1

4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Qpid Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
² Pathology Queensland Central Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Herston Hospitals Campus, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
³ Australian Genomics Research Facility, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia.
⁴ Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
⁵ Public and Environmental Health Virology Laboratory, Forensic and Scientific Services, Department of Health, Archerfield, Queensland, Australia.

PMID: 28464308
DOI: 10.1002/jmv.24839

Abstract

Toscana virus (TOSV) is identified in sandflies, animals, and humans around the Mediterranean Sea. TOSV has not been reported in Australia. During investigations of cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients with encephalitis, TOSV genetic sequences were identified in a traveler returning to Australia from Europe. TOSV should be considered, especially during May to October, in travelers to Australia who embarked in countries in and around the Mediterranean Sea and who subsequently present for medical care because of neurological symptoms.

Keywords: Phlebovirus; Toscana virus; encephalitis; high throughput sequencing; travel.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antibodies, Viral / blood
Encephalitis, Viral / cerebrospinal fluid
Encephalitis, Viral / diagnosis*
Encephalitis, Viral / virology
Europe
Humans
Insect Vectors / virology
Middle Aged
Phlebotomus Fever / cerebrospinal fluid
Phlebotomus Fever / diagnosis*
Phlebotomus Fever / virology
Psychodidae / virology
Retrospective Studies
Sandfly fever Naples virus / genetics
Sandfly fever Naples virus / isolation & purification*
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Travel-Related Illness*

Substances

Antibodies, Viral