Actividad de virus del complejo encefalitis equina venezolana (VEEV) en Argentina.

MARÍA B. PISANO; VIVIANA E. RÉ; LUIS A. DÍAZ; MARINA STEIN; MARÍA J. DANTUR JURI; ADRIÁN FARÍAS; MARÍA P. SANCHEZ–SECO; ANTONIO TENORIO; WALTER R. ALMIRÓN; MARTA S. CONTIGIANI

Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas (Córdoba, Argentina)

Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba

Lugar: Córdoba; Año: 2009 vol. 66 p. 48 - 51

0014-6722

Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis complex viruses (VEEV) emerge periodically couseing outbrakes in some regions of America. In Argentina it has been isolated Rio Negro Virus (RNV), strain AG80-663 (VEEV subtype VI) from mosquitoes and rodents, as well as human antibodies against subtype VI and I. With the aim to detect VEEV circulation in Argentina, mosquitoes from Chaco and Tucumán provinces were collected. They were grouped by specie, place and date of collection. Each pool was tested for alphavirus detection by RT-Nested PCR. Positive samples were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. From 99 pools analyzed in Chaco province, 7 were positive for alphavirus: 6 grouped with RNV and one with Pixuna Virus (VEEV subtype IV) (PIXV). Minimum Infection Rates (MIRs) show more viral activity in rural area than urban area. In Tucuman province, there were 139 pools analyzed. Four resulted positive, and three were sequenced: two grouped with RNV and one with PIXV. MIRs show more viral activity in Cx. mollis than the other species. Data obtained in this work confirm circulation of RNV in Chaco, and show circulation of PIXV in that region. In Tucumán, this is the first detection of VEEV, with circulation of the same subtypes of Chaco province. These results highlight the importance of enhance surveillance measures on the north region of our country.