info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Human outbreak of St. Louis encephalitis detected in Argentina, 2005
Fecha
2008-05Registro en:
Spinsanti, Lorena Ivana; Diaz, Luis Adrian; Glatstein, Nora Viviana; Arselán, Sergio; Morales, María A.; et al.; Human outbreak of St. Louis encephalitis detected in Argentina, 2005; Elsevier Science; Journal of Clinical Virology; 42; 1; 5-2008; 27-33
1386-6532
CONICET Digital
CONICET
Autor
Spinsanti, Lorena Ivana
Diaz, Luis Adrian
Glatstein, Nora Viviana
Arselán, Sergio
Morales, María A.
Farias, Adrian Alejandro
Fabbri, Cintia
Aguilar, Juán J.
Ré, Viviana Elizabeth
Frías, María
Almiron, Walter Ricardo
Hunsperger, Elizabeth
Siirin, Marina
Da Rosa, Amelia Travassos
Tesh, Robert B.
Enría, Delia
Contigiani de Minio, Marta Silvia
Resumen
Background: An outbreak of flavivirus encephalitis occurred in 2005 in Córdoba province, Argentina. Objectives: To characterize the epidemiologic and clinical features of that outbreak and provide the serologic results that identified St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) as the etiologic agent. Study design: From January to May 2005, patients with symptoms of encephalitis, meningitis, or fever with severe headache were evaluated and an etiologic diagnosis achieved by detection of flavivirus-specific antibody sera and cerebrospinal fluid. Results: The epidemic curve of 47 cases showed an explosive outbreak starting in January 2005 with one peak in mid-February and a second peak in mid-March; the epidemic ended in May. Cases occurred predominantly among persons 60 years and older. Nine deaths were reported. SLEV antibodies, when detected in 47 patients studied, had a pattern characteristic of a primary SLEV infection. Conclusions: Even though isolated cases of St. Louis encephalitis have been reported in Argentina, this is the first description of a large SLEV encephalitis outbreak in Argentina.