@article{PAR00014573,
  title = {{S}andfly-borne {P}hlebovirus isolations from {T}urkey : new insight into the {S}andfly fever {S}icilian and {S}andfly fever {N}aples species},
  author = {{A}lkan, {C}. and {K}asap, {O}. {E}. and {A}lten, {B}. and de {L}amballerie, {X}avier and {C}harrel, {R}. {N}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{S}outhern {A}natolia in {T}urkey at the border with {S}yria, where many refugee camps are settled, is endemic for sandfly-borne leishmaniasis. {S}andfly-borne phleboviruses are also known to circulate in this region, although their relevance in terms of medical implications is virtually unknown. {T}herefore, the specific objectives of our study were firstly to identify isolate and characterise potentially pathogenic phleboviruses in sandflies; secondly to determine the complete genomic sequence of any viruses that we were able to isolate; and thirdly, to further our understanding of the potential medical importance and epidemiological significance of these viruses. {T}o achieve these objectives, we organised field campaigns in 2012 and 2013. {T}wo new phleboviruses ({T}oros and {Z}erdali viruses) were isolated and characterized by complete genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. {T}oros virus was genetically most closely related to {C}orfou virus within the {S}andfly fever {S}icilian group. {Z}erdali virus was most closely related to {T}ehran virus within the {S}andfly fever {N}aples species. {A}lthough these new viruses belong to genetic groups that include several human pathogens, it is not yet clear if {T}oros and {Z}erdali viruses can infect humans and cause disease such as sandfly fever. {C}onsequently, the availability of these genetically characterized infectious viruses will enable seroprevalence studies to establish their medical importance in this region and to assist the health agencies to develop appropriate and effective disease control strategies. {B}ackground {M}any studies have presented virus sequences which suggest the existence of a variety of putative new phleboviruses transmitted by sandflies in the {O}ld {W}orld. {H}owever, in most of these studies, only partial sequences in the polymerase or the nucleoprotein genes were characterised. {T}herefore to further our understand of the presence and potential medical importance of sandfly-borne phleboviruses that circulate in southern {A}natolia, we initiated field campaigns in 2012 and 2013 designed to identify, isolate and characterise phleboviruses in sandflies in this region {M}ethodology/{P}rincipal {F}indings {A}n entomological investigation encompassing 8 villages in {A}dana, {M}editerranean {T}urkey was performed in {A}ugust and {S}eptember 2012 and 2013. {A} total of 11,302 sandflies were collected and grouped into 797 pools which were tested for the presence of phleboviruses using specific primers for {RT}-{PCR} analysis and also cell culture methods for virus isolation. {S}even pools were {PCR} positive, and viruses were isolated from three pools of sandflies, resulting in the identification of two new viruses that we named {Z}erdali virus and {T}oros virus. {P}hylogenetic analysis based on full-length genomic sequence showed that {Z}erdali virus was most closely related with {T}ehran virus (and belongs to the {S}andfly fever {N}aples species), whereas {T}oros virus was closest to {C}orfou virus. {C}onclusions/{S}ignificance {T}he results indicate that a variety of phleboviruses are co-circulating in this region of southern {A}natolia. {B}ased on our studies, these new viruses clearly belong to genetic groups that include several human pathogens. {H}owever, whether or not {T}oros and {Z}erdali viruses can infect humans and cause diseases such as sandfly fever remains to be investigated.},
  keywords = {{TURQUIE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {N}eglected {T}ropical {D}iseases},
  volume = {10},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {e0004519},
  ISSN = {1935-2735},
  year = {2016},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0004519},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00014573},
}