Phlebotomine sandflies are known to transmit leishmaniases, bacteria and viruses that affect humans and animals in many countries worldwide. These sandfly-borne viruses are mainly the Phlebovirus, the Vesiculovirus and the Orbivirus. Some of these viruses are associated with outbreaks or human cases in the Mediterranean Europe. In this paper, the viruses transmitted by Phlebotomine sandflies in Europe (Toscana virus, Sicilian virus, sandfly fever Naples virus) are reviewed and their medical importance, geographical distribution, epidemiology and potential spreading discussed. Data on vertebrate reservoirs is sparse for sandfly fever viruses. The factor currently known to limit the spread of diseases is mainly the distribution areas of potential vectors. The distribution areas of the disease may not be restricted to the areas where they have been recorded but could be as wide as those of their vectors, that is to say Larroussius and P. papatasi mainly but not exclusively. Consequently, field work in form of viral isolation from sandflies and possible reservoirs as well as laboratory work to establish vectorial competence of colonised sandflies need to be encouraged in a near future, and epidemiological surveillance should be undertaken throughout the European Union.

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Arthropod-borne viruses transmitted by Phlebotomine sandflies in Europe: a review.

Exposures to West Nile virus (WNV) have been documented in a variety of wild mammals in both the New and Old Worlds. This review tabulates at least 100 mammal species with evidence of WNV exposure. Many of these exposures were detected in free-ranging mammals, while several were noted in captive individuals. In addition to exposures, this review discusses experimental infections in terms of the potential for reservoir competence of select wild mammal species. Overall, few experimental infections have been conducted on wild mammals. As such, the role of most wild mammals as potential amplifying hosts for WNV is, to date, uncertain. In most instances, experimental infections of wild mammals with WNV have resulted in no or low-level viremia. Some recent studies have indicated that certain species of tree squirrels (Sciurus spp.), eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus), and eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) develop viremia sufficient for infecting some mosquito species. Certain mammalian species, such as tree squirrels, mesopredators, and deer have been suggested as useful species for WNV surveillance. In this review article, the information pertaining to wild mammal associations with WNV is synthesized.

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West Nile virus associations in wild mammals: a synthesis.

Brain involvement in dengue fever

and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/). By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php). Reports in Parasitology 2016:5 1–12 Reports in Parasitology Dovepress

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Mosquito-borne diseases in Europe: an emerging public health threat

Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus is unique among the phleboviruses in its pathogenicity for humans and domestic animals, its various routes of infection, and its wide host range. Since the first isolation and detailed description of the disease following an epizootic in sheep in the Rift Valley of Kenya in 1930 (Daubney et al., 1931), there have been significant epizootics in South Africa (Swanepoel and Coetzer, 1995), Egypt in 1977–1979 (Meegan and Hoogstraal, 1979; Meegan, 1979), West Africa in 1987 (Digoutte and Peters, 1989), Madagascar in 1990 (Morvan et al., 1992), and most recently a reintroduction into Egypt in 1993 (Arthur et al., 1993). Presently, virologic and serologic evidence suggests that the virus exists throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar and, in light of its recurrence in Egypt, may be extending its range even farther though, to date, no outbreaks have been reported outside Africa.

Epidemiology and Pathogenesis of Rift Valley Fever and Other Phleboviruses

In 1980 and 1981, sera of 256 small wild mammals (rodentia, insectivora, carnivora) were collected in Piemonte and Southern Italy. They were then tested for antibody against 12 arboviruses by haemagglutination inhibition and complement fixation tests. In the North of the country, 42.8% of sera were found positive against Tahyna or Sicilian Sandfly fever viruses. In the Southern provinces, 44.3% of sera reacted with Bhanja, West Nile or other flaviviruses, Tahyna, Sicilian Sandfly fever and Arumowot viruses. These results lead to suspect the possible role of some small mammals (muridae, Clethrionomys glareolus, Talpa caeca, Talpa romana) in circulating these arboviruses in Italy.

Small wild mammals and arboviruses in Italy

The authors report the case of a flavivirus encephalitis (probable Dengue) in a 70 year old female, occurring twenty days after a fewer of unknown origin, contracted in the South of India. Most of the cases of such encephalitis have been reported from children, but they may occur also in adults.

Le Lay-Rogues G

Papers

Small wild mammals and arboviruses in Italy

[Encephalitic syndrome caused by flavivirus diagnosed after return from a voyage to South India: probably dengue with neurological manifestations].