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Toscana virus (TOSV) is a phlebotomus-transmitted virus that belongs to the family Bunyaviridae and causes widespread infections in humans; about 30 % of these cases result in aseptic meningitis. In the present study, it was shown that TOSV is an inducer of beta interferon (IFN-?), although its non-structural protein (NSs) could inhibit the induction of IFN-? if expressed in a heterologous context. A recombinant Rift Valley fever virus expressing the TOSV NSs could suppress IFN-? expression in infected cells. Moreover, in cells expressing NSs protein from a cDNA plasmid, IFN-? transcripts were not inducible by poly(I : C). Unlike other members of the family Bunyaviridae, TOSV appears to express an NSs protein that is a weak antagonist of IFN induction. Characterization of the interaction of TOSV with the IFN system will help our understanding of virus-host cell interactions and may explain why the pathogenesis of this disease is mostly mild in humans.