Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses in Portugal: Four and Still Counting

According to ICTV, there are currently 66 known phlebovirus species. More than 40 of these viruses were isolated or detected in phlebotomine sandflies and some of them are known pathogens. In Portugal, information about sandfly-borne phleboviruses is scarce and scattered sandfly-borne diseases are neglected and often not considered in differential diagnoses. The main objective of this work was to gather the existing information and to raise awareness about the circulating phleboviruses in this country. To date, Massilia and Alcube phleboviruses have been isolated from sandflies in southern Portugal. Human infections with Toscana and Sicilian phleboviruses have been reported, as well as seroprevalence in cats and dogs. More studies are needed in order to understand if the viruses isolated during the entomological surveys have an impact on human health and to fully understand the real importance of the already recognized pathogens in our country.

Automated summary

According to ICTV, there are currently 66 known species of phlebovirus, with more than 40 of them being isolated or detected in phlebotomine sandflies. In Portugal, there is limited information about sandfly-borne phleboviruses, and sandfly-borne diseases are often neglected and not considered in diagnoses. This study aims to gather existing information and raise awareness about circulating phleboviruses in the country. Massilia and Alcube phleboviruses have been isolated from sandflies in southern Portugal, and human infections with Toscana and Sicilian phleboviruses have been reported, along with seroprevalence in cats and dogs. Further studies are needed to understand the impact of these viruses on human health and the true importance of recognized pathogens in the country.