Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV, Phenuiviridae ) is an emerging arbovirus that can cause potentially fatal disease in many host species including ruminants and humans. Thus, tools to detect this pathogen within tissue samples from routine diagnostic investigations or for research purposes are of major interest. This study compares the immunohistological usefulness of several mono- and polyclonal antibodies against RVFV epitopes in tissue samples derived from natural hosts of epidemiologic importance (sheep), potentially virus transmitting insect species ( Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti ) as well as scientific infection models (mouse, Drosophila melanogaster, C6/36 cell pellet). While the nucleoprotein was the epitope most prominently detected in mammal and mosquito tissue samples, fruit fly tissues showed expression of glycoproteins only. Antibodies against non-structural proteins exhibited single cell reactions in salivary glands of mosquitoes and the C6/36 cell pellet. However, as single antibodies exhibited a cross reactivity of varying degree in non-infected specimens, a careful interpretation of positive reactions and consideration of adequate controls remains of critical importance. The results suggest that primary antibodies directed against viral nucleoproteins and glycoproteins can facilitate RVFV detection in mammals and insects, respectively, and therefore will allow RVFV detection for diagnostic and research purposes.

Background Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a single-stranded RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family and the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis. European strains are mainly vectored by Ixodes ricinus. Clinical manifestation varies between individuals and can be asymptomatic to febrile illness in the first phase and results in severe neurological complications like meningitis, meningoencephalitis or meningoencephalomyelitis in the second phase. An early detection of TBEV infections would be preferable. To compare the protective role of anti-TBEV antibody responses in different hosts and between individuals, we developed a luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS) antibody detection assay.

Einleitung Eine Infektion mit dem Rifttalfieber-Virus (RVFV) kann beim Menschen zu einer schweren Enzephalitis führen. Die IFN-I-Antwort (IFN-I = Typ-I-Interferon) spielt eine zentrale Rolle in der Virusabwehr, die Bedeutung der einzelnen Zellpopulationen im zentralen Nervensystem (ZNS) für die Pathogenese ist bisher jedoch nicht im Detail geklärt.

The Culex pipiens complex includes species with reported differences in vector competence for arthropod-borne viruses, many of which are of significant importance to human health such as the West Nile virus and the Sindbis virus. This group of mosquitoes is difficult to distinguish morphologically; particularly as adult females. In Europe, the two species of the complex, Culex pipiens Linnaeus 1758 and Culex torrentium Martini 1925, are often found sympatrically. With the aim to characterize the presence and spread of both species in the Emilia-Romagna region, Northern Italy, mosquitoes of the complex - collected during the West Nile virus surveillance plans - were tested by multiplex real-time PCR for the detection of the two species Cx. pipiens and Cx. torrentium. A total of 24 165 mosquitoes, collected between 2012 and 2014 from 105 sites, and sorted in 204 pools, were tested. All tested pools were found to be composed of Cx. pipiens, whereas Cx. torrentium was not detected. These results indicate a likely absence of Cx. torrentium mosquitoes within the surveyed territory, whereas Cx. pipiens is widely distributed in the area mentioned. This is in line with previous reports, which describe a pre-alpine distribution of Cx. torrentium in Italy.