| Abstract | Tahyna orthobunyavirus (TAHV) je arbovirus koji spada porodicu Peribunyaviridae, rod Orthobunyavirus, seroskupinu kalifornijskog encefalitisa. U ljudi, TAHV infekcije većinom prolaze asimptomatski, no mogu se očitovati i kao akutna bolest čiji simptomi sliče gripi te rjeđe meningitis. Rezervoari virusa su zečevi i ježevi, a glavni vektor je komarac poplavnih područja Aedes vexans. Virus je raširen po cijelom kontinentalnom dijelu Europe, Kini i dijelovima Afrike.
Cilj ovog rada je istražiti učestalost detekcije protutijela na TAHV u bolesnika s neuroinvazivnom infekcijom te analizirati epidemiološke značajke TAHV infekcije na području Hrvatske. U istraživanje je uključeno 218 bolesnika s neuroinvazivnom infekcijom nedokazane etiologije hospitaliziranih tijekom pet uzastopnih sezona prijenosa arbovirusa (travanj 2017. godine - listopad 2021. godine). U testiranoj je skupini bilo 144 (66,1%) muškaraca te 74 (39,9%) žena u dobi od 5 do 91 godine. U svih su bolesnika uzeti uzorci seruma i cerebrospinalnog likvora (CSL) koji su testirani na prisutnost TAHV protutijela testom neutralizacije virusa. TAHV neutralizacijska (NT) protutijela dokazana su u 22 (10,1%) bolesnika. U dva bolesnika s meningitisom, NT protutijela su nađena i u CSL što je ukazivalo na nedavnu infekciju. Dokazana je statistički značajna razlika u prevalenciji NT protutijela s obzirom na dob. Seroprevalencija je progresivno rasla od 1,8% u bolesnika mlađih od 30 godina do 24,4% u bolesnika starijih od 70 godina (p=0,001). Seropozitivnost se nije razlikovala značajno između muškaraca i žena (11,1% naspram 8,1%; p=0,485) te između stanovnika prigradskih i seoskih područja u odnosu na stanovnike gradskih područja (10,5% naspram 9,8%; p=0,882). Nadalje, nije nađena značajna razlika u seropozitivnosti kod bolesnika u kojih se bolest očitovala meningitisom, meningoencefalitisom, mijelitisom ili febrilnom glavoboljom (8,5-15,4%; p=0,702). Rezultati logističke regresije pokazali su da bolesnici stariji od 70 godina imaju značajno viši rizik za seropozitivitet u odnosu na bolesnike mlađe od 30 godina (OR=18,064, 95%Cl=2,207-147,809; RR=13,902; 95%Cl=1,851-104,393). |
| Abstract (english) | Tahyna orthobunyavirus (TAHV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus of the family Peribunyaviridae, genus Orhtobunyavirus, California encephalitis virus serogroup. The majority of TAHV infections are asymptomatic. Human disease caused by TAHV is an influenza-like illness or less often meningitis. The vertebrate hosts for TAHV are hares, rabbits, hedgehogs and rodents while floodwater mosquitoes Aedes vexans are considered the principal arthropod vectors. The virus is widespread through continental Europe, China and some parts of Africa.
The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of TAHV antibodies in patients with neuroinvasive infection and to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of TAHV infection in Croatia. The study included 218 patients with unsolved neuroinvasive infection hospitalized during the five consecutive arbovirus transmission seasons (April 2017 - October 2021). In the tested group, there were 144 (66.1%) males and 74 (39.9%) females aged 5 to 91 years. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples were collected in all patients and tested for TAHV antibodies using a virus neutralization test (VNT).
TAHV neutralizing (NT) antibodies were detected in serum samples of 22 (10.1%) patients. In two patients presented with meningitis, NT antibodies were also detected in the CSF suggesting a recent TAHV infection. There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of NT antibodies according to age. The seroprevalence increased from 1.8% in patients less than 30 years to 24.4% in patients over 70 years (p=0.001). The TAHV seropositivity did not differ significantly between males and females (13.2% vs. 8.1%, p=0.485) and inhabitants of suburban/rural and urban areas (12.8% vs. 10.6%, p=0.882). In addition, there was no difference in the seropositivity rates among patients presented with meningitis, meningoencephalitis, myelitis or febrile headache (8.5-15.4%; p=0.702). Results of the risk analysis showed that age is a risk factor for TAHV infection. Patients older than 70 years showed a significantly higher risk for seropositivity than those under 30 years (OR=18.064, 95%CI=2.207-147.809; RR=13.902; 95%CI=1.851-104.393). |
