| Autor: |
Prioteasa FL; Medical Entomology Laboratory, Cantacuzino National Military Medical Institute for Research and Development, 103 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania., Dinu S; Molecular Epidemiology for Communicable Diseases Laboratory, Cantacuzino National Military Medical Institute for Research and Development, 103 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania., Tiron GV; Vector-Borne Infections Laboratory, Cantacuzino National Military Medical Institute for Research and Development, 103 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania.; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 1-3 Aleea Portocalelor, 060101 Bucharest, Romania., Stancu IG; Vector-Borne Infections Laboratory, Cantacuzino National Military Medical Institute for Research and Development, 103 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania.; Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 1-3 Aleea Portocalelor, 060101 Bucharest, Romania., Fălcuță E; Medical Entomology Laboratory, Cantacuzino National Military Medical Institute for Research and Development, 103 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania., Ceianu CS; Vector-Borne Infections Laboratory, Cantacuzino National Military Medical Institute for Research and Development, 103 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania., Cotar AI; Vector-Borne Infections Laboratory, Cantacuzino National Military Medical Institute for Research and Development, 103 Splaiul Independenței, 050096 Bucharest, Romania. |
| Abstrakt: |
Usutu virus (USUV) is an emergent arbovirus in Europe causing mortality in bird populations. Similar to West Nile virus (WNV), USUV is maintained in sylvatic cycles between mosquito vectors and bird reservoirs. Spillover events may result in human neurological infection cases. Apart from indirect evidence provided by a recent serological study in wild birds, the circulation of USUV in Romania was not assessed. We aimed to detect and molecular characterize USUV circulating in mosquito vectors collected in South-Eastern Romania-a well-known WNV endemic region-during four transmission seasons. Mosquitoes were collected from Bucharest metropolitan area and Danube Delta, pooled, and screened by real-time RT-PCR for USUV. Partial genomic sequences were obtained and used for phylogeny. USUV was detected in Culex pipiens s.l. female mosquitoes collected in Bucharest, in 2019. The virus belonged to Europe 2 lineage, sub-lineage EU2-A. Phylogenetic analysis revealed high similarity with isolates infecting mosquito vectors, birds, and humans in Europe starting with 2009, all sharing common origin in Northern Italy. To our knowledge, this is the first study characterizing a strain of USUV circulating in Romania. |
