Usutu virus infection in a patient who underwent orthotropic liver transplantation, Italy, August-September 2009

F Cavrini; P Gaibani; G Longo; A M Pierro; G Rossini; P Bonilauri; G E Gerunda; F Di Benedetto; A Pasetto; M Girardis; M Dottori; M P Landini; V Sambri

doi:10.2807/ese.14.50.19448-en

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Usutu virus infection in a patient who underwent orthotropic liver transplantation, Italy, August-September 2009
F Cavrini^1,2 , P Gaibani^1,2 , G Longo³ , A M Pierro¹ , G Rossini¹ , P Bonilauri⁴ , G E Gerunda⁵ , F Di Benedetto⁵ , A Pasetto⁶ , M Girardis⁶ , M Dottori⁴ , M P Landini¹ , V Sambri¹
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Affiliations: ¹ Clinical Microbiology Unit, Regional Reference Centre for Microbiological Emergencies – CRREM, St. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy ² These Authors contributed equally to this paper and are listed in alphabetical order ³ Oncology and Haematology Unit, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy ⁴ Experimental Institute for Animal Health and Protection of Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna, Brescia, Italy ⁵ Liver and Multivisceral Transplant Center, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy ⁶ Anaestesiology and Intensive Care Unit 1, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy

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V Sambri
vittorio.sambri unibo.it
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Citation style for this article: Cavrini F, Gaibani P, Longo G, Pierro A M, Rossini G, Bonilauri P, Gerunda G E, Di Benedetto F, Pasetto A, Girardis M, Dottori M, Landini M P, Sambri V. Usutu virus infection in a patient who underwent orthotropic liver transplantation, Italy, August-September 2009 . Euro Surveill. 2009;14(50):pii=19448. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.14.50.19448-en Received: 18 Nov 2009

Abstract

We report a case of Usutu virus (USUV)-related illness in a patient that underwent an orthotropic liver transplant (OLT). Post transplant, the patient developed clinical signs of a possible neuroinvasive disease with a significant loss of cerebral functions. USUV was isolated in Vero E6 cells from a plasma sample obtained immediately before the surgery, and USUV RNA was demonstrated by RT-PCR and sequencing. This report enlarges the panel of emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus-related disease in humans.