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Chikungunya virus infections in Finnish travellers 2009-2019 : Infection Ecology & Epidemiology

Authors :
Jääskeläinen, A. J.
Kareinen, L.
Smura, T.
Kallio-Kokko, H.
Vapalahti, O.
Medicum
HUSLAB
Viral Zoonosis Research Unit
Department of Virology
University of Helsinki
Helsinki University Hospital Area
Faculty of Medicine
Doctoral Programme in Microbiology and Biotechnology
Helsinki One Health (HOH)
Veterinary Microbiology and Epidemiology
Veterinary Biosciences
Publication Year :
2020

Abstract

The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes an acute febrile illness with rash, joint and muscle pain.A realtime RT-PCR assay for CHIKV detecting non-structural protein (nsP2; CHIKV nsP2-RT-qPCR) was set up. All the serodiagnosed CHIKV cases detected during 2009-2019 in Finland were screened with the assay, followed by isolations attempts and sequencing using Sanger and next generation sequencing (NGS). To validate the assay external and in-house quality control samples were used and all were correctly identified. Specificity of the assay was 100%. Assay was sensitive to detect CHIKV RNA in dilution of 10-8.During years 2009-2019 34 patients were diagnosed for acute CHIKV infection. Twelve out of 34 cases were positive by CHIKV nsP2-RT-qPCR.Two CHIKV isolations succeeded from two individuals infected originally in Thailand, 2019. From 12 CHIKV nsP2-RT-qPCR positive samples, five (42%) CHIKVs were successfully sequenced. In this study, CHIKVs from year 2019 clustered with CHIKV ECSA-lineage forming sub-cluster with strains from ones detected in Bangladesh 2017, and the ones from Jamaica (2014) within Asian lineage showing highest similarity to strains detected in Caribbean outbreak 2013-15. Majority of the CHIKV infections detected in Finland originates from Asia and virus lineages reflect the global circulation of the pathogen.

Details

Language :
English
Database :
OpenAIRE
Accession number :
edsair.od......1593..15e85bb0d1cb1f7f1a4fc07eed7f793d