UNA Virus: First report of human infection in Argentina

DIAZ, LUIS ADRIÁN; SPINSANTI, LORENA IVANA; ALMIRON, WALTER RICARDO; CONTIGIANI, MARTA SILVIA

REVISTA DO INSTITUTO DE MEDICINA TROPICAL DE SãO PAULO

Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo

Lugar: Sao Paulo, Brasil; Año: 2003 vol. 45 p. 109 - 110

0036-4665

Una virus (UNAV), Togaviridae family, is widely distributed in South America, where infections have been detected in mosquitoes and vertebrate hosts (humans, birds and horses). We analyzed human sera from Córdoba inhabitants aged 44 to 89 years and using a neutralization test, we found a prevalence of UNAV antibodies of 3.8% (3/79). The low titers detected suggest past infections probably acquired in rural areas of the Province of Córdoba (central Argentina). None sera were found positive for MAYV neutralizing antibodies. This is the first report of human infections by UNAV in Argentina.