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Alburkat HAT, Pulkkinen E, Virtanen J, Vapalahti O, Sironen T, Jääskeläinen AJ. Serological and molecular screening of arenaviruses in suspected tick-borne encephalitis cases in Finland. Epidemiol Infect 2024; 152:e20. [PMID: 38250808 PMCID: PMC10894894 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268824000128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is one of the arenaviruses infecting humans. LCMV infections have been reported worldwide in humans with varying levels of severity. To detect arenavirus RNA and LCMV-reactive antibodies in different geographical regions of Finland, we screened human serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, taken from suspected tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases, using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). No arenavirus nucleic acids were detected, and the overall LCMV seroprevalence was 4.5%. No seroconversions were detected in paired serum samples. The highest seroprevalence (5.2%) was detected among individuals of age group III (40-59 years), followed by age group I (under-20-year-olds, 4.9%), while the lowest seroprevalence (3.8%) was found in age group IV (60 years or older). A lower LCMV seroprevalence in older age groups may suggest waning of immunity over time. The observation of a higher seroprevalence in the younger age group and the decreasing population size of the main reservoir host, the house mouse, may suggest exposure to another LCMV-like virus in Finland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Abas Thamer Alburkat
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emilia Pulkkinen
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- ISLAB Laboratory Centre, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jenni Virtanen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - A J Jääskeläinen
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Vilibic-Cavlek T, Savic V, Ferenc T, Mrzljak A, Barbic L, Bogdanic M, Stevanovic V, Tabain I, Ferencak I, Zidovec-Lepej S. Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis-Emerging Trends of a Neglected Virus: A Narrative Review. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6020088. [PMID: 34070581 PMCID: PMC8163193 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6020088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a neglected rodent-borne zoonotic virus distributed worldwide. Since serologic assays are limited to several laboratories, the disease has been underreported, often making it difficult to determine incidence and seroprevalence rates. Although human clinical cases are rarely recorded, LCMV remains an important cause of meningitis in humans. In addition, a fatal donor-derived LCMV infection in several clusters of solid organ transplant recipients further highlighted a pathogenic potential and clinical significance of this virus. In the transplant populations, abnormalities of the central nervous system were also found, but were overshadowed by the systemic illness resembling the Lassa hemorrhagic fever. LCMV is also an emerging fetal teratogen. Hydrocephalus, periventricular calcifications and chorioretinitis are the predominant characteristics of congenital LCMV infection, occurring in 87.5% of cases. Mortality in congenitally infected children is about 35%, while 70% of them show long-term neurologic sequelae. Clinicians should be aware of the risks posed by LCMV and should consider the virus in the differential diagnosis of aseptic meningitis, especially in patients who reported contact with rodents. Furthermore, LCMV should be considered in infants and children with unexplained hydrocephalus, intracerebral calcifications and chorioretinitis. Despite intensive interdisciplinary research efforts, efficient antiviral therapy for LCMV infection is still not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (I.F.)
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +385-1-4863-238
| | - Vladimir Savic
- Laboratory for Virology and Serology, Poultry Center, Croatian Veterinary Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Thomas Ferenc
- Clinical Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Merkur University Hospital, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Anna Mrzljak
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ljubo Barbic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.B.); (V.S.)
| | - Maja Bogdanic
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (I.F.)
| | - Vladimir Stevanovic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.B.); (V.S.)
| | - Irena Tabain
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (I.F.)
| | - Ivana Ferencak
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.B.); (I.T.); (I.F.)
| | - Snjezana Zidovec-Lepej
- Department of Immunological and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr Fran Mihaljevic”, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
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Fevola C, Rossi C, Rosso F, Girardi M, Rosà R, Manica M, Delucchi L, Rocchini D, Garzon-Lopez CX, Arnoldi D, Bianchi A, Buzan E, Charbonnel N, Collini M, Ďureje L, Ecke F, Ferrari N, Fischer S, Gillingham EL, Hörnfeldt B, Kazimírová M, Konečný A, Maas M, Magnusson M, Miller A, Niemimaa J, Nordström Å, Obiegala A, Olsson G, Pedrini P, Piálek J, Reusken CB, Rizzolli F, Romeo C, Silaghi C, Sironen T, Stanko M, Tagliapietra V, Ulrich RG, Vapalahti O, Voutilainen L, Wauters L, Rizzoli A, Vaheri A, Jääskeläinen AJ, Henttonen H, Hauffe HC. Geographical Distribution of Ljungan Virus in Small Mammals in Europe. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:692-702. [PMID: 32487013 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Ljungan virus (LV), which belongs to the Parechovirus genus in the Picornaviridae family, was first isolated from bank voles (Myodes glareolus) in Sweden in 1998 and proposed as a zoonotic agent. To improve knowledge of the host association and geographical distribution of LV, tissues from 1685 animals belonging to multiple rodent and insectivore species from 12 European countries were screened for LV-RNA using reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR. In addition, we investigated how the prevalence of LV-RNA in bank voles is associated with various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. We show that LV is widespread geographically, having been detected in at least one host species in nine European countries. Twelve out of 21 species screened were LV-RNA PCR positive, including, for the first time, the red vole (Myodes rutilus) and the root or tundra vole (Alexandromys formerly Microtus oeconomus), as well as in insectivores, including the bicolored white-toothed shrew (Crocidura leucodon) and the Valais shrew (Sorex antinorii). Results indicated that bank voles are the main rodent host for this virus (overall RT-PCR prevalence: 15.2%). Linear modeling of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that could impact LV prevalence showed a concave-down relationship between body mass and LV occurrence, so that subadults had the highest LV positivity, but LV in older animals was less prevalent. Also, LV prevalence was higher in autumn and lower in spring, and the amount of precipitation recorded during the 6 months preceding the trapping date was negatively correlated with the presence of the virus. Phylogenetic analysis on the 185 base pair species-specific sequence of the 5' untranslated region identified high genetic diversity (46.5%) between 80 haplotypes, although no geographical or host-specific patterns of diversity were detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Fevola
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Chiara Rossi
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Fausta Rosso
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Matteo Girardi
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Roberto Rosà
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,Center for Agriculture Food Environment-C3A, University of Trento and Fondazione E. Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Mattia Manica
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Luca Delucchi
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Duccio Rocchini
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,Center for Agriculture Food Environment-C3A, University of Trento and Fondazione E. Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology-CIBIO, University of Trento, Povo, Italy
| | - Carol X Garzon-Lopez
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,Ecology and Vegetation Physiology Group (EcoFiv), Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daniele Arnoldi
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bianchi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e Dell'Emilia Romagna "Bruno Ubertini," Brescia, Italy
| | - Elena Buzan
- Department of Biodiversity, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia
| | - Nathalie Charbonnel
- CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Margherita Collini
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - L'udovít Ďureje
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Studenec, Czech Republic
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefan Fischer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Emma L Gillingham
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.,Department of Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Salisbury, United Kingdom.,Department of Climate Change and Health, Public Health England, London, United Kingdom
| | - Birger Hörnfeldt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mária Kazimírová
- Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), Institute of Zoology, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Adam Konečný
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miriam Maas
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Magnus Magnusson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Andrea Miller
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Section for Parasitology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department for Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jukka Niemimaa
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Åke Nordström
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gert Olsson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Paolo Pedrini
- Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati, MUSE-Museo delle Scienze, Trento, Italy
| | - Jaroslav Piálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Studenec, Czech Republic
| | - Chantal B Reusken
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands.,Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Franco Rizzolli
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Claudia Romeo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Michal Stanko
- Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), Institute of Zoology, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), Institute of Parasitology, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Valentina Tagliapietra
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology and Immunology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Lucas Wauters
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Annapaola Rizzoli
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Antti Vaheri
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anne J Jääskeläinen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Virology and Immunology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Heidi C Hauffe
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
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