DESIGNING OF A RT REAL TIME PCR ASSAY BASED ON NS1 GENE FOR RAPID DETECTION OF USUTU VIRUS (USUV)

Introduction: Usutu virus belongs to the Japanese encephalitis virus group (the isolates exhibited 97% identity) within the family Flaviviridae closely related to West Nile virus (WNV). Both share in nature an enzootic infectious cycle between avian hosts and mosquito vectors (i.e. Culex spp.). The distribution areal is expanding in several European countries, including Italy; the simultaneous spatial and temporal co-circulation of new flaviviruses require a new approaches in the laboratory diagnosis for Flaviviridae infection in humans