1.Hemorrhagic fever caused by a novel tick-borne Bunyavirus in Huaiyangshan,China
Zhang YONG-ZHEN ; Zhou DUN-JIN ; Xiong YANWEN ; Chen XIAO-PING ; He YONG-WEN ; Sun QIANGZHENG ; Yu BIN ; Li JUAN ; Dai YONG-AN ; Tian JUN-HUA ; Qin XIN-CHENG ; Jin DONG ; Cui ZHIGANG ; Luo XUE-LIAN ; Li WEI ; Lu SHAN ; Wang WEN ; Peng JIN-SONG ; Guo WEN-PING ; Li MING-HUI ; Li ZHEN-JUN ; Zhang SHAOMIN ; Chen CHEN ; Wang YAN ; Jong D.de MENNO ; Xu JIANGUO
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2011;32(3):209-220
Background:From April to July in 2009 and 2010,unexplained severe hemorrhagic fever-like illnesses occurred in farmers from the Huaiyangshan mountains range.Methods:Clinical specimens (blood,urine,feces,and throat swabs) from suspected patients were obtained and stored.Mosquitoes and ticks in affected regions were collected.Virus was isolated from 2 patients and characterized by whole genome sequencing.Virus detection in additional patients and arthropods was done by virus-specific reverse transcription (RT) PCR.Clinical and epidemiological data of RT-PCR confirmed patients were analyzed.Results:An unknown virus was isolated from blood of two patients and from Haemaphysalis ticks collected from dogs.Whole genome sequence analysis identified the virus as a novel member of the family Bunyaviridae,most closely related to the viruses of the genus Phlebovirus within which it forms a separate lineage.Subsequently,infection was confirmed by RT-PCR in 33 of 58 suspected patients.The illness in these patients was characterized by fever,severe malaise,nausea,vomiting,and diarrhea.Prominent laboratory findings included low white cell- and platelet counts,coagulation disturbances,and elevation of liver enzymes.Hemorrhagic complications were observed in 3 cases,5 (15%) patients died.Conclusions:A novel tick-borne Bunyavirus causing life-threatening hemorrhagic fever in humans has emerged in the Huaiyangshan mountain areas of China.Further studies are needed to determine the epidemiology,geographic distribution and vertebrate animal ecology of this virus.
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