SHORT REPORT: Human cases of Sindbis fever in South Africa, 2006–2010

Sindbis virus (SINV), the prototype positive-sense RNA alphavirus, causes febrile arthritis and is present throughout Afro-Eurasia. Little is known of the epidemiology of Sindbis fever due to insufficient surveillance in most endemic countries. The epidemiological features of Sindbis fever in humans...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epidemiology and infection 2014-02, Vol.142 (2), p.234-238
Main Authors: STORM, N., WEYER, J., MARKOTTER, W., KEMP, A., LEMAN, P.A., DERMAUX-MSIMANG, V., NEL, L. H., PAWESKA, J. T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibodies
Arboviruses
Epidemiology
Fever
Infections
Sindbis Virus
Specimens
Symptoms
Viral/rickettsial fevers
Viruses
Zoonoses
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Sindbis virus (SINV), the prototype positive-sense RNA alphavirus, causes febrile arthritis and is present throughout Afro-Eurasia. Little is known of the epidemiology of Sindbis fever due to insufficient surveillance in most endemic countries. The epidemiological features of Sindbis fever in humans in South Africa are described here based on a retrospective study of suspected arbovirus cases submitted for laboratory investigation from 2006 to 2010. Cases were detected annually mostly during the late summer/early autumn months and an increase in cases was noted for 2010, coinciding with an outbreak of Rift Valley fever. Cases were reported most often from the central plateau of South Africa and involved mostly males. No severe or fatal cases were reported and cases were associated with febrile arthralgia as commonly reported for SINV infection. Further surveillance is required to reveal the true extent of the morbidity of Sindbis fever in South Africa.
ISSN:0950-2688
1469-4409