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Toscana virus development in sand flies
Rehbergerová, Markéta ; Jančářová, Magdaléna (advisor) ; Hönig, Václav (referee)
The Toscana virus (TOSV) is a causative agent of meningitis, meningoencephalitis, and encephalitis in humans. It is transmitted by the hematophagous sand flies Phlebotomus perniciosus and Ph. perfiliewi (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) in the Mediterranean area mainly during the summer months. In this thesis we studied experimental infections of sand flies belonging to species of Ph. papatasi, Ph. perniciosus, Ph. sergenti, Ph. tobbi, and Sergentomyia schwetzi with viral strains of two TOSV lineages (TOSV-A and TOSV-B). We were unable to infect any of the tested sand fly species with TOSV- A via artificial blood feeding. We report the susceptibility of Ph. tobbi and Ph. sergenti to TOSV-B by artificial blood feeding with infection rates of 59.5% and 5.9%, respectively, and the dissemination of the virus to the head with attached salivary glands suggesting the potential for TOSV transmission to vertebrates. Experimental TOSV infections through sugar meals were unsuccessful. Key words: Toscana virus, Phlebovirus, Phlebotominae, sand fly, vector competence
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Sand fly-borne viruses
Nedvědová Cvanová, Lucie ; Volf, Petr (advisor) ; Votýpka, Jan (referee)
Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are important vectors of protozoan, bacterial and viral patogens causing diseases in humans and domestic animals. This thesis summarizes the current knowledge on sand fly-born viruses, their distribution in the World, infection symptoms and life cycle in the nature. These viruses are transmitted by sand flies of genera Phlebotomus, Lutzomyia and Sergentomyia and they can be found on every continent except for Antarctica. They belong into four families, Bunyaviriae, Rhabdoviridae, Reoviridae and Flaviviridae, the most known and widespread is genus Phlebovirus from the family Bunyaviridae. Some of these sand fly-born viruses cause febrile illness, sometimes accompanied by acute meningoencephalitis (e.g. Toscana virus), while the others have not been proven to cause any disease in vertebrates. Animal reservoir of most of these viruses has not been found yet.
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