Affiliation:
1. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna “B. Ubertini”, 25124 Brescia, Italy
Abstract
Fermo virus is a Phlebovirus that is increasingly reported in sand flies from northern Italy. The natural cycle is not fully understood, but the virus has been detected by direct methods only in sand flies. Although there is serological evidence that it can infect vertebrates, the virus has not been directly detected in animals or humans. Here, we have developed and reported a specific real-time PCR for Fermo virus. The availability of the described method will be useful to characterize the epidemiology of the FERV, ensuring, compared to previously available protocols, a more sensitive detection in insects and the possible detection in vertebrates to evaluate the presence of reservoirs and the pathogenic potential of the virus in humans or animals.
Funder
Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan
Italian Ministry of Health
Characterization of Sand flies and Sand fly-borne Pathogens
Subject
Virology,Infectious Diseases