Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Lett Appl Microbiol. 2020 Feb;70(2):102-108. doi: 10.1111/lam.13249. Epub 2019 Dec 13.
Saffold virus (SAFV) is an emerging human cardiovirus associated with respiratory and gastrointestinal infection, and, more recently, to symptoms related to the endocrine, cardiovascular, and neurological systems. Information about SAFV circulation in Italy is scarce. In order to provide insights into the epidemiology of SAFV in Italy, 141 raw sewage samples collected throughout Italy were tested using broad-range nested RT-PCR primers targeting the 5'-NC region. Seven samples (5·0%) were confirmed as SAFV in samples collected in North, Centre and Southern Italy. Typing was attempted through amplification of the VP1 coding region, using both published and newly designed primers, and one sample was characterized as SAFV-2. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Prevalence, genetic diversity and geographic distribution of SAFV in Italy is currently unknown. This study represents the first detection of SAFV in sewage samples in Italy, suggesting that it is circulating in the population despite lack of clinical reporting. Whether the virus is associated with asymptomatic cases or with undetected gastroenteritis or respiratory illness is unknown. Further studies are needed to investigate on the occurrence and persistence of SAFV in water environments and its waterborne transmission potential.
沙福病毒（SAFV）是一种新兴的人类心血管病毒，与呼吸道和胃肠道感染有关，最近还与内分泌、心血管和神经系统的症状有关。关于 SAFV 在意大利的传播信息很少。为了深入了解 SAFV 在意大利的流行病学，使用针对 5'-NC 区域的广谱嵌套 RT-PCR 引物对从意大利各地采集的 141 份原始污水样本进行了检测。在意大利北部、中部和南部采集的样本中，有 7 份（5.0%）样本被确认为 SAFV。通过使用已发表和新设计的引物扩增 VP1 编码区来尝试进行分型，其中一个样本被鉴定为 SAFV-2。研究的意义和影响：目前尚不清楚 SAFV 在意大利的流行率、遗传多样性和地理分布。本研究首次在意大利的污水样本中检测到 SAFV，表明尽管没有临床报告，但该病毒仍在人群中传播。该病毒是否与无症状病例有关，或与未检测到的胃肠炎或呼吸道疾病有关，目前尚不清楚。需要进一步研究以调查 SAFV 在水环境中的发生和持续存在及其经水传播的潜力。
