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. 2014 Feb;142(2):234-8.
doi: 10.1017/S0950268813000964. Epub 2013 Apr 24.

Human cases of Sindbis fever in South Africa, 2006-2010

N Storm  1 , J Weyer  1 , W Markotter  1 , A Kemp  2 , P A Leman  2 , V Dermaux-Msimang  2 , L H Nel  1 , J T Paweska  1
Affiliations

Human cases of Sindbis fever in South Africa, 2006-2010

N Storm et al. Epidemiol Infect. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Sindbis virus (SINV), the prototype positive-sense RNA alphavirus, causes febrile arthritis and is present throughout Afro-Eurasia. Little is known of the epidemiology of Sindbis fever due to insufficient surveillance in most endemic countries. The epidemiological features of Sindbis fever in humans in South Africa are described here based on a retrospective study of suspected arbovirus cases submitted for laboratory investigation from 2006 to 2010. Cases were detected annually mostly during the late summer/early autumn months and an increase in cases was noted for 2010, coinciding with an outbreak of Rift Valley fever. Cases were reported most often from the central plateau of South Africa and involved mostly males. No severe or fatal cases were reported and cases were associated with febrile arthralgia as commonly reported for SINV infection. Further surveillance is required to reveal the true extent of the morbidity of Sindbis fever in South Africa.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Histogram indicating the number of specimens submitted for arbovirus testing vs. the detection of anti-SINV IgM, for 2006–2009 and for 2010. * Cumulative number. † Sindbis detection rate =  (no. of Sindbis IgM positives/no. samples tested) × 100.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Map showing the anti-SINV IgM detection rate in each province of South Africa for the period 2006–2010.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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