Characterization of tick-borne encephalitis virus from Latvia: evidence for co-circulation of three distinct subtypes.

Viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) antigenic complex within the family Flaviviridae cause a variety of diseases, including uncomplicated febrile illness, meningoencephalitis, and hemorrhagic fever. Different domesticated animals or wildlife species often act as reservoir hosts and ixodid ticks serve as vectors. Although TBE is a serious problem in Latvia, the knowledge concerning TBE virus (TBEV) strains circulating in the country is most limited. Only two strains (Latvia-1-96 isolated from a TBE patient, and RK1424 originating from an Ixodes persulcatus tick), which belonged to the Siberian and the Far Eastern subtypes of TBEV, respectively, have previously been characterized. In the present study, we concentrated on the western and central regions of Latvia, with predominantly Ixodes ricinus ticks. Five virus strains were isolated from serum samples of patients with clinical symptoms of an acute TBE infection. Nucleotide sequences encoding the envelope (E) protein of TBEV, which were recovered from the five TBEV isolates, showed the highest level of identity to the corresponding sequences of the prototype strain Neudoerfl and other European strains of the Western TBEV subtype characterized previously. Accordingly, phylogenetic analysis placed the new Latvian isolates within the Western genetic lineage of TBEV. Taken together with earlier observations, the results proved that all three TBEV subtypes are co-circulating in Latvia and indicated that the genetic diversity of TBEV within certain geographical areas is much more complex than previously believed.

Hantavirus infections in Latvia.

In order to investigate the presence of hantavirus infections in Latvia, 333 randomly selected human serum samples were screened using an enzyme-linked immunoassay. Fifteen samples were positive for hantavirus-specific IgG and were subsequently serotyped using a focus reduction neutralization test. Fourteen of these samples neutralized at least one of the hantaviruses included in the test, indicating a 4.2% overall seroprevalence in Latvia. Among 14 focus reduction neutralization test-positive sera, specific reactivity (at least 4-fold higher endpoint titer) of neutralizing antibodies was as follows: six sera were specific for Saaremaa hantavirus, three showed equal titers to Saaremaa and Dobrava hantaviruses, and five showed the highest endpoint titers to Puumala hantavirus. Hantavirus infections were confirmed in individuals residing in 11 of 26 investigated counties. The sex ratio was 1:2.5 (M:F), and the antibody prevalence increased with age. This is the first report on the presence of hantavirus infections in Latvia, and the results indicate that two hantaviruses pathogenic to man, Saaremaa virus and Puumala virus, are widely distributed in this country.

Characterization of tick-borne encephalitis virus from Latvia.

Viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) antigenic complex, within the family Flaviviridae, cause a variety of diseases including uncomplicated febrile illness, encephalitis, meningo-encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever and chronic disease in humans, domesticated animals or wildlife species. TBE is a serious problem in Latvia with up to a 1,000 patients confirmed serologically annually 1994-1995. No previous data had been reported on the causative agent of TBE in Latvia. In the present study, a virus was isolated from serum of a patient with clinical symptoms of an acute TBE infection. Nucleotide sequence information obtained by direct reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the serological characteristics of the isolated virus strain, designated TBE-Latvia-1-96, indicated a closer relationship to the Vasilchenko strain, isolated in Novosibirsk (Siberia, Russia), as compared to the western European or far eastern subtypes of TBE viruses. In a mouse neurovirulence assay, a significant difference in survival rates (days) was shown between Latvia-1-96 and the western European TBE virus subtype.