Investigations on California serogroup orthobunyaviruses in the Tyrols: first description of Tahyna virus in the Alps.

Seroprevalence rates for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to Tahyna virus (TAHV) and Inkoo virus (INKV) were determined in sera of 1630 blood donors from North, East, and South Tyrol by immunofluorescence assays (IFAs) and confirmatory serum neutralization tests (SNTs). Ten sera (0.6%) reacted positive by TAHV IFA, five of which (0.3%) were confirmed by SNT. Eleven sera (0.7%) reacted positive in the INKV IFA; only one thereof (0.06%) was verified by subsequent SNT. To identify the source of infections, mosquitoes were trapped at 18 sampling sites in the study area, resulting in the collection of 2571 adult mosquitoes: 1254 individuals of the genus Aedes (48.8% of total) including A. albopictus, 640 Culex (24.9%), 303 Coquillettidia (11.8%), 252 Ochlerotatus (9.8%), 49 Anopheles (1.9%), and 73 mosquitoes of the genus Culiseta (2.8%). The mosquitoes were pooled according to species, trapping site, and time, and were tested by RT-PCR for the presence of California serogroup orthobunyavirus nucleic acids. PCR amplification products were obtained in five of 195 pools (2.6%), and all were identified as TAHVs by subsequent sequencing. This represents the first evidence of TAHV circulation and human exposure in the Tyrols and in the alpine region in general. Interestingly, all TAHV sequences were identified in Culex pipiens/torrentium mosquitoes. Whether other California serogroup orthobunyaviruses such as INKV are also circulating in this area is subject of further investigations on larger numbers of mosquitoes.