The arboviruses (Arthropod-borne viruses) include viruses biologically transmitted to a vertebrate host by the bite of a blood-sucking arthropod. This term has an epidemiological value but does not have a taxonomic meaning; arboviruses belong to different genera of viruses, such as Orthoflavivirus, Phlebovirus and Orthobunyavirus. Some arboviruses are actively monitored for their abundant spread and health relevance. The West Nile virus (WNV) is one of these and is the subject of a national surveillance plan in Italy, implemented at a regional level, also in Emilia-Romagna, with the primary objective of guarantee the safety of blood and organ donations. Other viruses, however, are neglected and not subject to targeted surveillance, even if already detected in a particular area, such as the Tahyna virus (TAHV) and the Toscana virus (TOSV). In this study, several arboviruses were searched in blood-sucking insects sampled in the field, in particular mosquitoes and sand flies. More than 100,000 mosquitoes were captured and tested, detecting WNV, Usutu virus and TAHV. Furthermore, more than 98,000 sandflies were sampled; approximately 70,000 were tested detecting the TOSV and the Fermo virus, but also other phleboviruses, such as Corfou virus, Punique virus and Ponticelli viruses. This activity made it possible to characterize the presence of arboviruses in the study area and to isolate a strain of TAHV, which may be useful for developing new diagnostic tests. The presence of these arboviruses in the area suggests investigating their potential pathogenicity for humans and animals, both for those already known to cause disease in humans and for those only recently described and with a less known cycle.
Il termine arbovirus (acronimo di arthropod-borne virus) sta ad indicare i virus biologicamente trasmessi dalla puntura di un artropode ematofago ad un ospite vertebrato. Questo termine non ha quindi un significato tassonomico, ma ha una valenza epidemiologica; gli arbovirus appartengono, infatti, a diversi generi di virus, come Orthoflavivirus, Phlebovirus e Orthobunyavirus. Numerosi arbovirus sono attivamente monitorati per la loro abbondante diffusione e la loro rilevanza sanitaria. Il West Nile virus (WNV) è uno di questi, oggetto di un piano di sorveglianza nazionale in Italia, implementato a livello regionale, anche in Emilia-Romagna, con l’obiettivo primario di garantire la sicurezza delle donazioni di sangue e organi. Altri virus sono invece negletti e non oggetto di sorveglianze dedicate, anche se già rilevati in una particolare area, come il Tahyna virus (TAHV) e il Toscana virus (TOSV). In questo studio diversi arbovirus, più o meno noti, sono stati ricercati in insetti ematofagi campionati sul campo, in particolare zanzare e flebotomi. Più di 100.000 zanzare sono state catturate e testate, rilevando WNV, Usutu virus e TAHV. Sono stati inoltre campionati più di 98.000 flebotomi, circa 70.000 dei quali sono stati testati rilevando il TOSV e il Fermo virus, ma anche altri Phlebovirus meno noti, come Corfou virus, Punique virus e i Ponticelli virus. Questa attività ha permesso di caratterizzare la presenza di arbovirus nell’area di studio ed inoltre di isolare un ceppo di TAHV, che potrà essere utile per mettere a punto nuovi test diagnostici. La presenza di questi arbovirus sul territorio suggerisce di indagare la loro potenziale capacità patogena per uomo e animali, sia per quelli già noti per provocare malattia nell’uomo, che per quelli solo recentemente descritti e con un ciclo meno noto.
Ricerca ed isolamento di arbovirus negletti da insetti ematofagi in Emilia-Romagna
Mattia, Calzolari
2025
Abstract
The arboviruses (Arthropod-borne viruses) include viruses biologically transmitted to a vertebrate host by the bite of a blood-sucking arthropod. This term has an epidemiological value but does not have a taxonomic meaning; arboviruses belong to different genera of viruses, such as Orthoflavivirus, Phlebovirus and Orthobunyavirus. Some arboviruses are actively monitored for their abundant spread and health relevance. The West Nile virus (WNV) is one of these and is the subject of a national surveillance plan in Italy, implemented at a regional level, also in Emilia-Romagna, with the primary objective of guarantee the safety of blood and organ donations. Other viruses, however, are neglected and not subject to targeted surveillance, even if already detected in a particular area, such as the Tahyna virus (TAHV) and the Toscana virus (TOSV). In this study, several arboviruses were searched in blood-sucking insects sampled in the field, in particular mosquitoes and sand flies. More than 100,000 mosquitoes were captured and tested, detecting WNV, Usutu virus and TAHV. Furthermore, more than 98,000 sandflies were sampled; approximately 70,000 were tested detecting the TOSV and the Fermo virus, but also other phleboviruses, such as Corfou virus, Punique virus and Ponticelli viruses. This activity made it possible to characterize the presence of arboviruses in the study area and to isolate a strain of TAHV, which may be useful for developing new diagnostic tests. The presence of these arboviruses in the area suggests investigating their potential pathogenicity for humans and animals, both for those already known to cause disease in humans and for those only recently described and with a less known cycle.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14242/213406
URN:NBN:IT:UNIPR-213406