Abstract
BackgroundToscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies (Phlebotomus sp.) widespread throughout the Mediterranean having the potential to cause meningoencephalitis in humans. In Germany, the vectors of TOSV are introduced recently and become endemic especially in Southwestern Germany. As TOSV is not investigated regularly in patients with meningoencephalitis, cases of TOSV-neuroinvasive disease may remain mostly undetected.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study on patients with meningoencephalitis without identification of a causal pathogen from 2006 to 2016. Serologic assessment for anti-TOSV-IgG and IgM was performed on serum and CSF. Demographic, clinical and CSF data from TOSV-positive patients were compared to a cohort of patients with meningoencephalitis due to enterovirus. Informed consent was obtained from all included patients.ResultsWe found 138 patients with meningoencephalitis without identified causal pathogen. From 98 of these patients CSF and serum was available for further testing. Additionally, we included 27 patients with meningoencephalitis due to enterovirus. We identified two patients with serological confirmed TOSV-neuroinvasive disease (TOSV-IgM and IgG positive, 2%) and two patients with possible TOSV-neuroinvasive disease (isolated TOSV-IgM positive, 2%). Overall, TOSV-neuroinvasive was detected in 4% of our cases with suspected viral meningoencephalitis. None of them had a history of recent travel to an endemic area.ConclusionsWe found cases of TOSV-neuroinvasive disease in our German cohort of patients with meningoencephalitis. As no recent history of travel to an endemic area was reported, it remains probable that these cases resemble autochthonous infections, albeit we cannot draw conclusions regarding the origin of the respective vectors. TOSV could be considered in patients with meningoencephalitis in Germany.
Highlights
Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies (Phlebotomus sp.) widespread throughout the Mediterranean having the potential to cause meningoencephalitis in humans
Viral meningoencephalitis is suspected in patients with altered mental status, headache, fever and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis often accompanied by neurological deficits, seizures and alterations in cerebral imaging or electroencephalography (EEG)
As TOSV-cases are undistinguishable from other viral pathogens regarding clinical features, we investigated whether there are specific CSF profiles or laboratory test results that could guide diagnostic assessment in cases of viral meningoencephalitis in the future
Summary
Toscana virus (TOSV) is an arthropod-borne virus transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies (Phlebotomus sp.) widespread throughout the Mediterranean having the potential to cause meningoencephalitis in humans. As TOSV is not investigated regularly in patients with meningoencephalitis, cases of TOSV-neuroinvasive disease may remain mostly undetected. In patients with suspected viral meningoencephalitis the causative pathogen cannot be identified in approximately 50% [2]. Toscana virus is Dersch et al BMC Neurology (2021) 21:495 an arthropod-borne enveloped, negative-stranded RNA virus transmitted by sandflies (Phlebotomus sp.) and belongs to the Phlebovirus genus within the Phenuiviridae family. Infections with TOSV are usually asymptomatic or mild, but can cause neuroinvasive disease called sandfly fever. In cases of acute TOSV-infection, usually -TOSV-IgM and -IgG are detectable in serum. IgM decreases over time and cease to be detectable whereas IgG can be detected years after contact with TOSV [7]
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