First human case of Usutu virus neuroinvasive infection, Italy, August-September 2009

M Pecorari; G Longo; W Gennari; A Grottola; A MT Sabbatini; S Tagliazucchi; G Savini; F Monaco; M L Simone; R Lelli; F Rumpianesi

doi:10.2807/ese.14.50.19446-en

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First human case of Usutu virus neuroinvasive infection, Italy, August-September 2009

M Pecorari¹, G Longo², W Gennari¹, A Grottola¹, A MT Sabbatini¹, S Tagliazucchi¹, G Savini³, F Monaco³, M L Simone⁴, R Lelli³, F Rumpianesi¹
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Affiliations: ¹ Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Services and Legal Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Azienda Ospedaliera Policlinico, Modena, Italy ² Department of Oncology and Hematology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Azienda Ospedaliera Policlinico, Modena, Italy ³ Department. of Virology, National Reference Centre for West Nile and Usutu disease, OIE Reference Laboratory for Bluetongue, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e Molise ‘G. Caporale’, Teramo, Italy ⁴ Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

Correspondence:
M Pecorari
pecorari.monica policlinico.mo.it
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Citation style for this article: Pecorari M, Longo G, Gennari W, Grottola A, Sabbatini A MT, Tagliazucchi S, Savini G, Monaco F, Simone M L, Lelli R, Rumpianesi F. First human case of Usutu virus neuroinvasive infection, Italy, August-September 2009. Euro Surveill. 2009;14(50):pii=19446. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.14.50.19446-en Received: 18 Nov 2009

Abstract

We report the first worldwide case of Usutu virus (USUV) neuroinvasive infection in a patient with diffuse large B cell lymphoma who presented with fever and neurological symptoms and was diagnosed with meningoencephalitits. The cerebrospinal fluid was positive for USUV, and USUV was also demonstrated in serum and plasma samples by RT-PCR and sequencing. Partial sequences of the premembrane and NS5 regions of the viral genome were similar to the USUV Vienna and Budapest isolates.