Comprehensive Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Human Sandfly-Borne Phlebovirus Exposure in an Endemic Region.

Sandfly-borne phleboviruses are endemic in countries around the Mediterranean Basin and pose a significant health threat for populations, with symptoms spanning from febrile diseases to central nervous system involvement. We carried out a comprehensive cross-sectional screening via microneutralization (MN) assays for a quantitative assessment of neutralizing antibodies (NAs) to seven phleboviruses representing three distinct serocomplexes, using samples previously screened via immunofluorescence assays (IFAs) in Turkey, an endemic region with various phleboviruses in circulation. We detected NAs to three phleboviruses: Toscana virus (TOSV), sandfly fever Naples virus (SFNV), and sandfly fever Sicilian virus (SFSV), while assays utilizing Adana virus, Punique virus, Massilia virus, and Zerdali virus remained negative.

Performance of various commercial assays for the detection of Toscana virus antibodies.

Introduction: Sandfly fever virus (SFV) serotypes sandfly fever Naples virus, sandfly fever Sicilian virus, and sandfly fever Cyprus virus cause febrile diseases, whereas Toscana virus (TOSV) is responsible for aseptic meningoencephalitis. Diagnosis and surveillance of TOSV depend heavily on virus serology, and various commercial assays utilizing various antigen sources and formats have been available. The aim of this study was to perform comparative evaluation of commercially available serological assays for anti-TOSV immunoglobulins.

[Investigation of dengue virus and yellow fever virus seropositivities in blood donors from Central/Northern Anatolia, Turkey].

Dengue virus (DENV) and yellow fever virus (YFV) are two of the globally prevalent vector-borne flaviviruses. Data on these viruses from Turkey is limited to a single study originating from the western, Aegean region of Turkey, where evidence for DENV exposure had been confirmed in residents and presence of hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies against YFV had been revealed. The aim of this study was to investigate the rates of seropositivity of DENV and YFV in blood donors from Central/Northern Anatolia, Turkey, for the demonstration of possible human exposure.

Sandfly fever virus activity in central/northern Anatolia, Turkey: first report of Toscana virus infections.

Sandfly fever viruses (SFVs) cause febrile diseases as well as aseptic meningitis/encephalitis and include serotypes sandfly fever Sicilian virus (SFSV), sandfly fever Naples virus (SFNV) and Toscana virus (TOSV). Infections are endemic in the Mediterranean basin and data on SFV activity in Turkey are limited. In this study, sera from 1533 blood donors from the Ankara, Konya, Eskisehir and Zonguldak provinces of Turkey were evaluated for SFV exposure by indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT) and confirmed by virus neutralization test (VNT).

Confirmed exposure to tick-borne encephalitis virus and probable human cases of tick-borne encephalitis in Central/Northern Anatolia, Turkey.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the aetiological agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), a potentially fatal central nervous system infection of humans. TBE is endemic in many areas of Europe and Asia; however, very scarce data on TBEV activity are available from Turkey. We aimed to identify TBEV exposure in healthy blood donors and the impact of TBEV in central nervous system infections in Central/Northern Anatolia.