Open AccessSerological Survey of Toscana Virus Infections in a High-Risk Population in Italy
Author(s) -
Marcello Valassina,
Melissa Valentini,
Agostino Pugliese,
Pier Egisto Valensin,
Maria Grazia Cusi
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
clinical and vaccine immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.649
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1556-6811
pISSN - 1556-679X
DOI - 10.1128/cdli.10.3.483-484.2003
Subject(s) - seroprevalence , serology , population , virus , virology , geography , biology , environmental health , medicine , antibody , immunology
Toscana virus is the most important agent responsible for meningitis in central Italy. We report a serosurveillance study, using an immunoenzymatic assay, of 360 serum samples harvested from a high-risk population occupationally exposed to Toscana virus in two regions of Italy, Tuscany and Piedmont. The results indicates a seroprevalence of Toscana virus of 77.2% in the forestry workers, particularly in the Tuscany region. This fact is strictly correlated with the ecological niches specific for the survival of Toscana virus arthropod vector.
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