Direct evidence for an expanded circulation area of the recently identified Balkan virus (Sandfly fever Naples virus species) in several countries of the Balkan archipelago

Ayhan, Nazli; Alten, Bulent; Ivovic, Vladimir; Dvořák, Vit; Martinkovic, Franjo; Omeragic, Jasmin; Stefanovska, Jovana; Petric, Dusan; Vaselek, Slavica; Baymak, Devrim; Kasap, Ozge E; Volf, Petr; Charrel, Remi N

doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2334-y

Direct evidence for an expanded circulation area of the recently identified Balkan virus (Sandfly fever Naples virus species) in several countries of the Balkan archipelago

Journal

Parasites & vectors

Date Issued

2017-08-29

Author(s)

Ayhan, Nazli

Alten, Bulent

Ivovic, Vladimir

Dvořák, Vit

Martinkovic, Franjo

Omeragic, Jasmin

Petric, Dusan

Vaselek, Slavica

Baymak, Devrim

Kasap, Ozge E

Volf, Petr

Charrel, Remi N

DOI

10.1186/s13071-017-2334-y

Abstract

Recently, Balkan virus (BALKV, family Phenuiviridae, genus Phlebovirus) was discovered in sand flies collected in Albania and genetically characterised as a member of the Sandfly fever Naples species complex. To gain knowledge concerning the geographical area where exposure to BALKV exists, entomological surveys were conducted in 2014 and 2015, in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH), Kosovo, Republic of Macedonia and Serbia.