Novel phlebovirus detected in Haemaphysalis parva ticks in a Greek island

During the last decade the number of novel tick-borne phleboviruses has increased rapidly, especially after the identification of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome and Heartland viruses which can cause severe disease in humans. A novel virus, Antigone virus was recently detected in ticks collected from the mainland of Greece. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of tick-borne phleboviruses in an island in Greece. During November 2015, 31 ticks were collected from sheep in Lesvos island. Phleboviral RNA was detected in 12/22 adult Haemaphysalis parva ticks. The virus was provisionally named Lesvos virus after the name of the island. Phylogenetic analysis of a 1108-bp L RNA fragment revealed that the Lesvos virus sequences cluster together with Dabieshan and Yongjia tick viruses detected in China in H. longicornis and H. hystricis ticks, respectively. Further studies are needed to investigate its exact distribution, epidemiology and virulence. It is expected that the research studies on tick biology and pathogen-tick-host interactions will allow a better understanding of the virus life cycle and the elucidation of the possible role of the novel tick-borne phleboviruses in public health.