[Virological study of cases of sandfly fever in Afghanistan]

Three strains (Af-1008, Af-1038, and Af-130) of Neapolitan sandfly fever virus (NSFF) and 2 strains (Af-1028 and Af-83) of Sicilian sandfly fever virus (SSFF) were isolated from febrile patients among soldiers of the limited military contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan in May-August, 1986-1987. The viruses were isolated in neonate mice and identified by indirect immunofluorescence, complement-fixation tests and plaque reduction neutralization test in Vero E6 and SPEV cells. The new NSFF strains in serological tests differed slightly from the original Sabin strain and completely differed from Toskana virus. In the examinations of 104 paired sera from convalescents, 87 subjects showed a rise in antibody titres either to NSFF or to SSFF virus, and 16 patients had antibodies to both viruses but without any rises in titre. Among 60 subjects with a presumable diagnosis of sandfly fever 12 persons had an antibody No information on isolation of sandfly fever viruses in Afghanistan has been available hitherto.