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. 2010 Apr 22:4:22-8.
doi: 10.2174/1874357901004020022.

Toscana virus epidemiology: from Italy to beyond

Maria G Cusi  1 , Gianni G Savellini, Giacomo Zanelli
Affiliations

Toscana virus epidemiology: from Italy to beyond

Maria G Cusi et al. Open Virol J. .

Abstract

Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus which is transmitted to humans by Phlebotomus spp sandflies. Infection is the cause of brain injuries, such as aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis, in Italy mainly during the summer. More recently some unusual clinical manifestations due to TOSV with severe sequelae, such as ischemic complications and hydrocephalus, have been reported. TOSV represents an important emerging pathogen and its presence is being investigated in several European countries on the Mediterranean basin, including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus. Phylogenetic analysis has distinguished two genotypes of TOSV, A and B; the first is circulating mainly in Italy and the second in Spain, indicating a different geographic distribution possibly related to the vector. This distribution, evolving with the climate, globalization and habitat modification, has implications for the epidemiology of TOSV.

Keywords: Toscana virus; epidemiology; meningitis.; phleboviruses; vectors.

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Figures

Fig. (1)
Fig. (1)
(A) Toscana virus meningitis in the Siena area during the years 1993-2008. (B) Seasonal distribution of TOSV meningitis in Tuscany.
Fig. (2)
Fig. (2)
Clinical manifestation of TOSV infection in seropositive subjects. Asymptomatic infection (white) is more frequent in young people (A) than in adults (B) [47].
Fig. (3)
Fig. (3)
Circulation of Toscana virus in Europe and in other countries. : native cases of TOSV infection; : imported cases of TOSV infection; TOSV seropositivity in the population.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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