Human outbreak of St. Louis encephalitis detected in Argentina, 2005

Abstract

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.

Fil: Spinsanti, Lorena Ivana. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología ; Argentina

Fil: Díaz, Luis A.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología ; Argentina

Fil: Glatstein, Nora Viviana. Provincia de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud; Argentina

Fil: Arselán, Sergio. Clínica Privada Velez Sársfield; Argentina

Fil: Morales, María A.. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina

Fil: Farías, Adrián A.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología ; Argentina

Fil: Fabbri, Cintia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología ; Argentina

Fil: Aguilar, Juán J.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología ; Argentina

Fil: Ré, Viviana Elizabeth. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología ; Argentina

Fil: Frías, María. Provincia de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud; Argentina

Fil: Almiron, Walter Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentina

Fil: Hunsperger, Elizabeth. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dengue Branch; Puerto Rico

Fil: Siirin, Marina. University of Texas Medical Branch. Institute for Human Infections and Immunity; Estados Unidos

Fil: Da Rosa, Amelia Travassos. University of Texas Medical Branch. Institute for Human Infections and Immunity; Estados Unidos

Fil: Tesh, Robert B.. University of Texas Medical Branch. Institute for Human Infections and Immunity; Estados Unidos

Fil: Enría, Delia. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina

Fil: Contigiani de Minio, Marta Silvia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología ; Argentina