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Magallanes S, Llorente F, Ruiz-López MJ, Martínez-de la Puente J, Soriguer R, Calderon J, Jímenez-Clavero MÁ, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Figuerola J. Long-term serological surveillance for West Nile and Usutu virus in horses in south-West Spain. One Health 2023; 17:100578. [PMID: 38024263 PMCID: PMC10665154 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is a re-emerging zoonotic pathogen with increasing incidence in Europe, producing a recent outbreak in 2020 in Spain with 77 human cases and eight fatalities. However, the factors explaining the observed changes in the incidence of WNV in Europe are not completely understood. Longitudinal monitoring of WNV in wild animals across Europe is a useful approach to understand the eco-epidemiology of WNV in the wild and the risk of spillover into humans. However, such studies are very scarce up to now. Here, we analysed the occurrence of WNV and Usutu virus (USUV) antibodies in 2102 samples collected between 2005 and 2020 from a population of feral horses in Doñana National Park. The prevalence of WNV antibodies varied between years, with a mean seroprevalence of 8.1% (range 0%-25%) and seasonally. Climate conditions including mean minimum annual temperatures and mean rainy days per year were positively correlated with WNV seroprevalence, while the annual rainfall was negatively. We also detected the highest incidence of seroconversions in 2020 coinciding with the human outbreak in southern Spain. Usutu virus-specific antibodies were detected in the horse population since 2011. The WNV outbreak in humans was preceded by a long period of increasing circulation of WNV among horses with a very high exposure in the year of the outbreak. These results highlight the utility of One Health approaches to better understand the transmission dynamics of zoonotics pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Magallanes
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Francisco Llorente
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, 28130, Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - María José Ruiz-López
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Josué Martínez-de la Puente
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Granada E-18071, Spain
| | - Ramon Soriguer
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Juan Calderon
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Jímenez-Clavero
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, 28130, Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | | | - Jordi Figuerola
- Department of Wetland Ecology (EBD-CSIC), Estación Biológica de Doñana, Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, E-41092 Sevilla, Spain
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
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García-Cervera C, Iftimie SM, Martínez MJ, Vázquez González A, Parra-Pérez S, Revuelta-López-Cordón L, Gil-Toral J, Vileu Vallverdu RM, Martínez Mateo A, López-Azcona AF, Pujol-Bajador I, Ballester-Bastardie F, Castro-Salomó A. Report on the first two confirmed autochthonous cases of West Nile virus encephalitis in Catalonia, Spain. Infect Dis (Lond) 2023; 55:798-802. [PMID: 37471287 DOI: 10.1080/23744235.2023.2236703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that can cause Central Nervous System infection in humans. Previous autochthonous cases of WNV encephalitis have been described in Spain, but none in Catalonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS We report on the first two autochthonous cases of encephalitis in humans caused by the West Nile virus (WNV) diagnosed in Catalonia (northeastern region of Spain). RESULTS An old married couple presented with clinical and biological signs compatible with viral encephalitis. Acute and convalescent serum samples showed IgM and IgG positivity for WNV. In addition, IgM was also detected in cerebrospinal fluid in the male patient. The serological results were later confirmed by microneutralization assays. CONCLUSIONS WNV infection must be considered in patients presenting with meningoencephalitis with viral CSF characteristics when common pathogens are excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carles García-Cervera
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Simona Mihaela Iftimie
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Miguel J Martínez
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, CDB, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Vázquez González
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Parra-Pérez
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | | | - Joan Gil-Toral
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Rosa Mercè Vileu Vallverdu
- Camp de Tarragona Epidemiological Surveillance Service, "Servei de Vigilància Epidemiològica al Camp de Tarragona, Subdirecció Regional al Camp de Tarragona I Terres de l'Ebre. Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya", Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ana Martínez Mateo
- Chief of Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Department of Health, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Isabel Pujol-Bajador
- Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
| | | | - Antoni Castro-Salomó
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, Spain
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Soto A, De Coninck L, Devlies AS, Van De Wiele C, Rosales Rosas AL, Wang L, Matthijnssens J, Delang L. Belgian Culex pipiens pipiens are competent vectors for West Nile virus while Culex modestus are competent vectors for Usutu virus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011649. [PMID: 37729233 PMCID: PMC10545110 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) are emerging arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) in Europe transmitted by Culex mosquitoes. In Belgium, it is currently unknown which Culex species are competent vectors for WNV or USUV and if these mosquitoes carry Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium that can block arbovirus transmission. The aims of our study were to measure the vector competence of Belgian Culex mosquitoes to WNV and USUV and determine if a naturally acquired Wolbachia infection can influence virus transmission. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Female Culex mosquitoes were captured from urban and peri-urban sites in Leuven, Belgium and offered an infectious bloodmeal containing WNV lineage 2, USUV European (EU) lineage 3, or USUV African (AF) lineage 3. Blood-fed females were incubated for 14 days at 25°C after which the body, head, and saliva were collected to measure infection, dissemination, and transmission rates as well as transmission efficiency. Mosquito species were identified by qRT-PCR or Sanger sequencing, the presence of infectious virus in mosquitoes was confirmed by plaque assays, and viral genome copies were quantified by qRT-PCR. Culex pipiens pipiens were able to transmit WNV (4.3% transmission efficiency, n = 2/47) but not USUV (EU lineage: n = 0/56; AF lineage: n = 0/37). In contrast, Culex modestus were able to transmit USUV (AF lineage: 20% transmission efficiency, n = 1/5) but not WNV (n = 0/6). We found that the presence or absence of Wolbachia was species-dependent and did not associate with virus transmission. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This is the first report that Belgian Culex mosquitoes can transmit both WNV and USUV, forewarning the risk of human transmission. More research is needed to understand the potential influence of Wolbachia on arbovirus transmission in Culex modestus mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Soto
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lander De Coninck
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ann-Sophie Devlies
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Celine Van De Wiele
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ana Lucia Rosales Rosas
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lanjiao Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jelle Matthijnssens
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leen Delang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Yüksel E, Yıldırım A, İmren M, Canhilal R, Dababat AA. Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus Bacteria as Potential Candidates for the Control of Culex pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae), the Principal Vector of West Nile Virus and Lymphatic Filariasis. Pathogens 2023; 12:1095. [PMID: 37764903 PMCID: PMC10537861 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases pose a severe threat to human and animal health. Culex pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae) is a widespread mosquito species and serves as a vector for the transmission of infectious diseases such as West Nile disease and Lymphatic Filariasis. Synthetic insecticides have been the prime control method for many years to suppress Cx. pipiens populations. However, recently, the use of insecticides has begun to be questioned due to the detrimental impact on human health and the natural environment. Therefore, many authorities urge the development of eco-friendly control methods that are nontoxic to humans. The bacterial associates [Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus spp. (Enterobacterales: Morganellaceae)] of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) (Sterinernema spp. and Heterorhabditis spp.) (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae) are one of the green approaches to combat a variety of insect pests. In the present study, the mosquitocidal activity of the cell-free supernatants and cell suspension (4 × 107 cells mL-1) of four different symbiotic bacteria (Xenorhabdus nematophila, X. bovienii, X. budapestensis, and P. luminescens subsp. kayaii) was assessed against different development stages of Cx. pipiens (The 1st/2nd and 3rd/4th instar larvae and pupa) under laboratory conditions. The bacterial symbionts were able to kill all the development stages with varying levels of mortality. The 1st/2nd instar larvae exhibited the highest susceptibility to the cell-free supernatants and cell suspensions of symbiotic bacteria and the efficacy of the cell-free supernatants and cell suspensions gradually declined with increasing phases of growth. The highest effectiveness was achieved by the X. bovienii KCS-4S strain inducing 95% mortality to the 1st/2nd instar larvae. The results indicate that tested bacterial symbionts have great potential as an eco-friendly alternative to insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebubekir Yüksel
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Kayseri Erciyes University, Kayseri 38030, Türkiye;
| | - Alparslan Yıldırım
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38280, Türkiye;
| | - Mustafa İmren
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu 14030, Türkiye;
| | - Ramazan Canhilal
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Kayseri Erciyes University, Kayseri 38030, Türkiye;
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Llorente F, Gutiérrez-López R, Pérez-Ramirez E, Sánchez-Seco MP, Herrero L, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Vázquez A. Experimental infections in red-legged partridges reveal differences in host competence between West Nile and Usutu virus strains from Southern Spain. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1163467. [PMID: 37396301 PMCID: PMC10308050 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1163467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) are emerging zoonotic arboviruses sharing the same life cycle with mosquitoes as vectors and wild birds as reservoir hosts. The main objective of this study was to characterize the pathogenicity and course of infection of two viral strains (WNV/08 and USUV/09) co-circulating in Southern Spain in a natural host, the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), and to compare the results with those obtained with the reference strain WNV/NY99. Methods WNV inoculated birds were monitored for clinical and analytical parameters (viral load, viremia, and antibodies) for 15 days post-inoculation. Results and discussion Partridges inoculated with WNV/NY99 and WNV/08 strains showed clinical signs such as weight loss, ruffled feathers, and lethargy, which were not observed in USUV/09-inoculated individuals. Although statistically significant differences in mortality were not observed, partridges inoculated with WNV strains developed significantly higher viremia and viral loads in blood than those inoculated with USUV. In addition, the viral genome was detected in organs and feathers of WNV-inoculated partridges, while it was almost undetectable in USUV-inoculated ones. These experimental results indicate that red-legged partridges are susceptible to the assayed Spanish WNV with pathogenicity similar to that observed for the prototype WNV/NY99 strain. By contrast, the USUV/09 strain was not pathogenic for this bird species and elicited extremely low viremia levels, demonstrating that red-legged partridges are not a competent host for the transmission of this USUV strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Llorente
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Gutiérrez-López
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elisa Pérez-Ramirez
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Paz Sánchez-Seco
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Herrero
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Jiménez-Clavero
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Vázquez
- Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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Faizah AN, Kobayashi D, Matsumura R, Watanabe M, Higa Y, Sawabe K, Isawa H. Blood meal source identification and RNA virome determination in Japanese encephalitis virus vectors collected in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, show distinct avian/mammalian host preference. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 60:620-628. [PMID: 37027507 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
In Asia, Culex mosquitoes are of particular interest because of their role in maintaining endemic mosquito-borne viral diseases, including the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Nonetheless, host-feeding preferences, along with naturally infecting RNA viruses in certain Culex species, remain understudied. In this study, selected blood-fed mosquitoes were processed for avian and mammalian blood meal source identification. Concurrently, cell culture propagation and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) approaches were used to determine the RNA virome of Culex mosquitoes collected in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The identification of blood meal sources from wild-caught Culex spp. revealed that Culex (Culex) tritaeniorhynchus Giles, 1901, has a robust preference toward wild boar (62%, 26/42), followed by heron (21%, 9/42). The other two species, Culex (Oculeomyia) bitaeniorhynchus Giles, 1901, and Culex (Culex) orientalis Edwards, 1921, showed a distinct preference for avian species, including migratory birds. From the HTS results, 34 virus sequences were detected, four of which were newly identified virus sequences of unclassified Aspiviridae, Qinviridae, Iflaviridae, and Picornaviridae. The absence of observable cytopathic effects in mammalian cells and phylogenetic analysis suggested that all identified virus sequences were insect-specific. Further investigations involving other mosquito populations collected in different areas are warranted to explore previously unknown vertebrate hosts that may be linked to JEV dispersal in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astri Nur Faizah
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kobayashi
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Ryo Matsumura
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Mamoru Watanabe
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Yukiko Higa
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Kyoko Sawabe
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Isawa
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
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Identification of Usutu Virus Africa 3 Lineage in a Survey of Mosquitoes and Birds from Urban Areas of Western Spain. Transbound Emerg Dis 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/6893677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging zoonotic arbovirus that has caused an increasing number of animal and human cases in Europe in recent years. Understanding the vector species and avian hosts involved in the USUV enzootic cycle in an area of active circulation is vital to anticipate potential outbreaks. Mosquitoes were captured in 2020, while wild birds were sampled in both 2020 and 2021 in Extremadura, southwestern Spain. The presence of USUV in the mosquito vectors was assessed by a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay and confirmed by sequencing amplicons from two generic RT-PCR sets for flaviviruses. Sequences were analysed phylogenetically. Bird sera were screened for flavivirus antibodies with a blocking ELISA kit and subsequently tested for virus-specific antibodies with a micro-virus-neutralization test. Overall, 6,004 mosquitoes belonging to 13 species were captured, including some well-known flavivirus vectors (Culex pipiens, Cx. perexiguus, and Cx. univittatus). Of the 438 pools tested, USUV was detected in two pools of Cx. pipiens. Phylogenetic analysis using a fragment of the NS5 gene assigned the USUV detected the Africa 3 lineage. Out of 1,413 wild birds tested, USUV-specific antibodies were detected in 17 birds (1.2%, 10 males and 7 females) from eight species. The first detection of USUV Africa 3 lineage in mosquitoes from Spain, together with serologically positive resident wild birds in urban and rural areas, indicates active circulation and a possible risk of exposure for the human population, with necessity to establish specific surveillance plans.
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Casades-Martí L, Holgado-Martín R, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Llorente F, Pérez-Ramírez E, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Ruiz-Fons F. Risk Factors for Exposure of Wild Birds to West Nile Virus in A Gradient of Wildlife-Livestock Interaction. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12010083. [PMID: 36678431 PMCID: PMC9864363 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) transmission rate is shaped by the interaction between virus reservoirs and vectors, which may be maximized in farm environments. Based on this hypothesis, we screened for WNV in wild birds in three scenarios with decreasing gradient of interaction with horses: (i) the farm (A1); (ii) the neighborhood (A2); and (iii) a wild area (A3). We captured wild birds and analyzed their sera for WNV antibodies by blocking ELISA and micro-virus neutralization test. Flavivirus infections were tested with generic and specific PCR protocols. We parameterized linear mixed models with predictors (bird abundance and diversity, vector abundance, vector host abundance, and weather quantities) to identify Flavivirus spp. and WNV exposure risk factors. We detected a low rate of Flavivirus infections by PCR (0.8%) and 6.9% of the birds were seropositive by ELISA. Exposure to Flavivirus spp. was higher in A1 (9%) than in A2 and A3 (5.6% and 5.8%, respectively). Bird diversity was the most relevant predictor of exposure risk and passerines dominated the on-farm bird community. Our results suggest that measures deterring the use of the farm by passerines should be implemented because the environmental favorability of continental Mediterranean environments for WNV is increasing and more outbreaks are expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Casades-Martí
- Health & Biotechnology (SaBio) Group, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Rocío Holgado-Martín
- Health & Biotechnology (SaBio) Group, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | | | - Francisco Llorente
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA), INIA-CSIC, 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain
| | - Elisa Pérez-Ramírez
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA), INIA-CSIC, 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Jiménez-Clavero
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA), INIA-CSIC, 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Ruiz-Fons
- Health & Biotechnology (SaBio) Group, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
- CIBERINFEC—CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
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North American House Sparrows Are Competent for Usutu Virus Transmission. mSphere 2022; 7:e0029522. [PMID: 36317895 PMCID: PMC9769741 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00295-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV, Flaviviridae) is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that has been implicated in neuroinvasive disease in humans and epizootic deaths in wild birds. USUV is maintained in an enzootic cycle between ornithophilic mosquitoes, primarily Culex spp., and wild birds, predominantly passerine species. However, limited experimental data exist on the species competent for USUV transmission. Here, we demonstrate that house sparrows are susceptible to multiple USUV strains. Our study also revealed that Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes are susceptible to USUV, with a significantly higher infection rate for the Netherlands 2016 USUV strain compared to the Uganda 2012 USUV strain at 50% and 19%, respectively. To assess transmission between avian host and mosquito vector, we allowed mosquitoes to feed on either juvenile chickens or house sparrows inoculated with USUV. Both bird models transmitted USUV to C. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Linear regression analyses indicated that C. quinquefasciatus infection rates were positively correlated with avian viremia levels, with 3 to 4 log10 PFU/mL representing the minimum avian viremia threshold for transmission to mosquitoes. Based on the viremia required for transmission, house sparrows were estimated to more readily transmit the Netherlands 2016 strain compared to the Uganda 2012 strain. These studies provide insights on a competent reservoir host of USUV. IMPORTANCE Usutu virus (USUV) is a zoonotic mosquito-borne virus that can cause neuroinvasive disease, including meningitis and encephalitis, in humans and has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in wild birds. The perpetuation of USUV in nature is dependent on transmission between Culex spp. mosquitoes and various avian species. To date, few experimental data exist for determining which bird species are important for the maintenance of USUV. Our studies showed that house sparrows can transmit infectious Usutu virus, indicating their role as a competent host species. By identifying reservoir species of USUV, we can predict areas of USUV emergence and mitigate its impacts on global human and wildlife health.
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10
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García-Bocanegra I, Franco JJ, León CI, Barbero-Moyano J, García-Miña MV, Fernández-Molera V, Gómez MB, Cano-Terriza D, Gonzálvez M. High exposure of West Nile virus in equid and wild bird populations in Spain following the epidemic outbreak in 2020. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:3624-3636. [PMID: 36222172 PMCID: PMC10092718 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the circulation and risk factors associated with West Nile virus (WNV) exposure in equine and wild bird populations following the largest epidemic outbreak ever reported in Spain. A total of 305 equids and 171 wild birds were sampled between November 2020 and June 2021. IgG antibodies against flaviviruses were detected by blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (bELISA) in 44.9% (109/243) and 87.1% (54/62) of unvaccinated and vaccinated equids, respectively. The individual seroprevalence in unvaccinated individuals (calculated on animals seropositive by both bELISA and virus microneutralization test [VNT]) was 38.3% (95%CI: 33.1-43.4). No IgM antibodies were detected in animals tested (0/243; 0.0%; 95%CI: 0.0-1.5) by capture-ELISA. The main risk factors associated with WNV exposure in equids were age (adult and geriatric), breed (crossbred) and the absence of a disinsection programme on the facilities. In wild birds, IgG antibodies against flaviviruses were found in 32.7% (56/171; 95%CI: 26.8-38.6) using bELISA, giving an individual WNV seroprevalence of 19.3% (95%CI: 14.3-24.3) after VNT. Seropositivity was found in 37.8% of the 37 species analysed. Species group (raptors), age (>1-year old) and size (large) were the main risk factors related to WNV seropositivity in wild birds. Our results indicate high exposure and widespread distribution of WNV in equid and wild bird populations in Spain after the epidemic outbreak in 2020. The present study highlights the need to continue and improve active surveillance programmes for the detection of WNV in Spain, particularly in those areas at greatest risk of virus circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Department of Animal Health, Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis and Emerging Diseases (ENZOEM), University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.,CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan J Franco
- Immunology and Applied Genetics, S.A. (Eurofins-Ingenasa), Madrid, Spain
| | - Clara I León
- Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía (AMAYA), Junta de Andalucía, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jesús Barbero-Moyano
- Department of Animal Health, Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis and Emerging Diseases (ENZOEM), University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - María V García-Miña
- Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural, Junta de Andalucía, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - María B Gómez
- Laboratorio Central de Veterinaria (LCV), Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, Algete, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Cano-Terriza
- Department of Animal Health, Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis and Emerging Diseases (ENZOEM), University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.,CIBERINFEC, ISCIII - CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Moisés Gonzálvez
- Department of Animal Health, Animal Health and Zoonosis Research Group (GISAZ), UIC Zoonosis and Emerging Diseases (ENZOEM), University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.,Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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11
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Napp S, Llorente F, Beck C, Jose-Cunilleras E, Soler M, Pailler-García L, Amaral R, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Pifarré M, Molina-López R, Obón E, Nicolás O, Lecollinet S, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Busquets N. Widespread Circulation of Flaviviruses in Horses and Birds in Northeastern Spain (Catalonia) between 2010 and 2019. Viruses 2021; 13:v13122404. [PMID: 34960673 PMCID: PMC8708358 DOI: 10.3390/v13122404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The surveillance for West Nile virus (WNV) in Catalonia (northeastern Spain) has consistently detected flaviviruses not identified as WNV. With the aim of characterizing the flaviviruses circulating in Catalonia, serum samples from birds and horses collected between 2010 and 2019 and positive by panflavivirus competition ELISA (cELISA) were analyzed by microneutralization test (MNT) against different flaviviruses. A third of the samples tested were inconclusive by MNT, highlighting the limitations of current diagnostic techniques. Our results evidenced the widespread circulation of flaviviruses, in particular WNV, but also Usutu virus (USUV), and suggest that chicken and horses could serve as sentinels for both viruses. In several regions, WNV and USUV overlapped, but no significant geographical aggregation was observed. Bagaza virus (BAGV) was not detected in birds, while positivity to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was sporadically detected in horses although no endemic foci were observed. So far, no human infections by WNV, USUV, or TBEV have been reported in Catalonia. However, these zoonotic flaviviruses need to be kept under surveillance, ideally within a One Health framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Napp
- IRTA, Animal Health Research Centre (CReSA IRTA-UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain;
- Correspondence: (S.N.); (N.B.)
| | - Francisco Llorente
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA), Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC), 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain; (F.L.); (P.A.-S.); (M.Á.J.-C.)
| | - Cécile Beck
- UMR 1161 Virology, ANSES, INRAE, ENVA, ANSES Animal Health Laboratory, EURL for Equine Diseases, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France; (C.B.); (R.A.); (S.L.)
| | - Eduard Jose-Cunilleras
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain;
- Servei Medicina Interna Equina, Fundació Hospital Clínic Veterinari (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Mercè Soler
- Servei de Prevenció en Salut Animal, Departament d’Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural (DACC), 08007 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Lola Pailler-García
- IRTA, Animal Health Research Centre (CReSA IRTA-UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain;
| | - Rayane Amaral
- UMR 1161 Virology, ANSES, INRAE, ENVA, ANSES Animal Health Laboratory, EURL for Equine Diseases, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France; (C.B.); (R.A.); (S.L.)
| | - Pilar Aguilera-Sepúlveda
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA), Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC), 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain; (F.L.); (P.A.-S.); (M.Á.J.-C.)
| | - Maria Pifarré
- Centre de Fauna dels Aiguamolls de l’Empordà, Àrea de Gestió Ambiental Servei de Fauna i Flora, Forestal Catalana, 17486 Castelló d’Empúries, Spain;
| | - Rafael Molina-López
- Centre de Fauna de Torreferrussa, Àrea de Gestió Ambiental Servei de Fauna i Flora, Forestal Catalana, 08130 Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, Spain; (R.M.-L.); (E.O.)
| | - Elena Obón
- Centre de Fauna de Torreferrussa, Àrea de Gestió Ambiental Servei de Fauna i Flora, Forestal Catalana, 08130 Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, Spain; (R.M.-L.); (E.O.)
| | - Olga Nicolás
- Centre de Fauna de Vallcalent, Àrea de Gestió Ambiental Servei de Fauna i Flora, Forestal Catalana, 25199 Lleida, Spain;
- Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu, Àrea de Gestió Ambiental Servei de Fauna i Flora, Forestal Catalana, 25595 Llavorsí, Spain
| | - Sylvie Lecollinet
- UMR 1161 Virology, ANSES, INRAE, ENVA, ANSES Animal Health Laboratory, EURL for Equine Diseases, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France; (C.B.); (R.A.); (S.L.)
| | - Miguel Ángel Jiménez-Clavero
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA), Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC), 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain; (F.L.); (P.A.-S.); (M.Á.J.-C.)
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Núria Busquets
- IRTA, Animal Health Research Centre (CReSA IRTA-UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain;
- Correspondence: (S.N.); (N.B.)
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12
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García San Miguel Rodríguez-Alarcón L, Fernández-Martínez B, Sierra Moros MJ, Vázquez A, Julián Pachés P, García Villacieros E, Gómez Martín MB, Figuerola Borras J, Lorusso N, Ramos Aceitero JM, Moro E, de Celis A, Oyonarte S, Mahillo B, Romero González LJ, Sánchez-Seco MP, Suárez Rodríguez B, Ameyugo Catalán U, Ruiz Contreras S, Pérez-Olmeda M, Simón Soria F. Unprecedented increase of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease, Spain, summer 2020. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 26. [PMID: 33988123 PMCID: PMC8120797 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2021.26.19.2002010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) in Spain increased in summer 2020. Here we report on this increase and the local, regional and national public health measures taken in response. We analysed data from regional surveillance networks and the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network, both for human and animal West Nile virus (WNV) infection. During the 2020 season, a total of 77 human cases of WNV infection (median age 65 years; 60% males) were detected in the south-west of Spain; 72 (94%) of these cases developed WNND, presenting as meningoencephalitis, seven of which were fatal. In the previous two decades, only six human cases of WNND were detected in Spain. Reduced activities for vector control this season, together with other factors, might have contributed to the massive increase. Public health measures including vector control, campaigns to raise awareness among physicians and the general population, and interventions to ensure the safety of donations of blood products, organs, cells and tissues were effective to reduce transmission. Going forward, maintenance of vector control activities and an update of the vector-borne diseases response plan in Spain is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Beatriz Fernández-Martínez
- CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health, Madrid, Spain.,National Center for Epidemiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministry of Science and Innovation, , Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Ana Vázquez
- National Microbiology Center, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministry of Science and Innovation.,CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Elena García Villacieros
- Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, Dirección General de Sanidad de la Producción Agraria, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Belén Gómez Martín
- Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, Dirección General de Sanidad de la Producción Agraria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Figuerola Borras
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Estación biológica de Doñana, Seville, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicola Lorusso
- Junta de Andalucía, Servicio de Vigilancia y Salud laboral Seville, Spain
| | | | - Elena Moro
- Ministry of Health, Scientific Committee on Transfusion Safety, Madrid, Spain
| | - Aránzazu de Celis
- Ministry of Health, Scientific Committee on Transfusion Safety, Madrid, Spain
| | - Salvador Oyonarte
- Ministry of Health, Scientific Committee on Transfusion Safety, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Luis José Romero González
- Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, Dirección General de Sanidad de la Producción Agraria, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Paz Sánchez-Seco
- National Microbiology Center, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministry of Science and Innovation
| | | | - Ulises Ameyugo Catalán
- Junta de Andalucía. Consejería de Salud y Familias. Dirección General de Salud Pública y Ordenación Farmacéutica. Subdirección de Protección de la Salud, Seville, Spain
| | | | - Mayte Pérez-Olmeda
- National Microbiology Center, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministry of Science and Innovation
| | - Fernando Simón Soria
- Ministry of Health, Coordinating Center of Health Alerts and Emergencies, Madrid, Spain
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13
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Screening of Mosquitoes for West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus in Croatia, 2015-2020. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6020045. [PMID: 33918386 PMCID: PMC8167590 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6020045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
In the period from 2015 to 2020, an entomological survey for the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) in mosquitoes was performed in northwestern Croatia. A total of 20,363 mosquitoes were sampled in the City of Zagreb and Međimurje county, grouped in 899 pools and tested by real-time RT-PCR for WNV and USUV RNA. All pools were negative for WNV while one pool each from 2016 (Aedes albopictus), 2017 (Culex pipiens complex), 2018 (Cx. pipiens complex), and 2019 (Cx. pipiens complex), respectively, was positive for USUV. The 2018 and 2019 positive pools shared 99.31% nucleotide homology within the USUV NS5 gene and both clustered within USUV Europe 2 lineage. The next-generation sequencing of one mosquito pool (Cx. pipiens complex) collected in 2018 in Zagreb confirmed the presence of USUV and revealed several dsDNA and ssRNA viruses of insect, bacterial and mammalian origin.
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14
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Bravo-Barriga D, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Guerrero-Carvajal F, Llorente F, Reina D, Pérez-Martín JE, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Frontera E. West Nile and Usutu virus infections in wild birds admitted to rehabilitation centres in Extremadura, western Spain, 2017-2019. Vet Microbiol 2021; 255:109020. [PMID: 33677369 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2021.109020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging flavivirus transmitted generally by mosquitoes of Culex genus. It is maintained in an enzootic life cycle where birds act as reservoir hosts. Humans and horses are also susceptible to infection, and occasionally, they suffer from neurological complications. However, they do not transmit the virus to other vectors, behaving as dead-end hosts. Sporadic WNV outbreaks observed in horses and wild birds from Extremadura (western Spain) during 2016 and 2017 seasons prompted to carry out this survey in wild birds, focused on specimens coming from two wildlife rehabilitation centres. Between October 2017 and December 2019, samples from 391 wild birds, belonging to 56 different species were collected and analysed in search of evidence of WNV infection. The analysis of serum samples for WNV-specific antibodies by ELISA, whose specificity was subsequently confirmed by virus-neutralisation test (VNT) showed positive results in 18.23 % birds belonging to 18 different species. Pelecaniformes (33.33 %), Accipitriformes (25.77 %) and Strigiformes (22.92 %) orders had the higher seroprevalences. Remarkably, WNV-specific antibodies were found in a black stork for the first time in Europe. Analysis by real time RT-PCR in symptomatic birds confirmed the presence of WNV lineage 1 RNA in griffon vulture and little owls. Specificity analysis of ELISA positive and doubtful sera was performed by differential VNT titration against WNV and two other cross-reacting avian flaviviruses found in Spain: Usutu virus (USUV) and Bagaza virus (BAGV). Only four samples showed USUV-specific antibodies (1.04 %) corresponding to three species: Eurasian eagle-owl, griffon vulture and great bustard (first detection in Europe) whereas no samples were found reactive to BAGV. Differential VNT yielded undetermined flavivirus result in 16 samples (4.17 %). This is the first study carried out on wild birds from Extremadura (western Spain). It highlights the widespread circulation of WNV in the region and its co-circulation with USUV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bravo-Barriga
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain.
| | - Pilar Aguilera-Sepúlveda
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Francisco Llorente
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
| | - David Reina
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain.
| | - J Enrique Pérez-Martín
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain.
| | - Miguel Ángel Jiménez-Clavero
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Eva Frontera
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain.
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15
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Bates TA, Chuong C, Rai P, Marano J, Waldman A, Klinger A, Reinhold JM, Lahondère C, Weger-Lucarelli J. American Aedes japonicus japonicus, Culex pipiens pipiens, and Culex restuans mosquitoes have limited transmission capacity for a recent isolate of Usutu virus. Virology 2021; 555:64-70. [PMID: 33454558 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2020.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV; Flavivirus) has caused massive die-offs in birds across Europe since the 1950s. Although rare, severe neurologic disease in humans has been reported. USUV is genetically related to West Nile virus (WNV) and shares an ecological niche, suggesting it could spread from Europe to the Americas. USUV's risk of transmission within the United States is currently unknown. To this end, we exposed field-caught Aedes japonicus, Culex pipiens pipiens, and Culex restuans-competent vectors for WNV-to a recent European isolate of USUV. While infection rates for each species varied from 7%-21%, no dissemination or transmission was observed. These results differed from a 2018 report by Cook and colleagues, who found high dissemination rates and evidence of transmission potential using a different USUV strain, U.S. mosquito populations, temperature, and extrinsic incubation period. Future studies should evaluate the impact of these experimental conditions on USUV transmission by North American mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler A Bates
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Christina Chuong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Pallavi Rai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Marano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Aaron Waldman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Amy Klinger
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Joanna M Reinhold
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Chloé Lahondère
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA; The Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA; The Global Change Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - James Weger-Lucarelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, USA; The Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA; The Global Change Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
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16
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Josephine Schoenenwald AK, Pletzer M, Skern T. Structural and antigenic investigation of Usutu virus envelope protein domain III. Virology 2020; 551:46-57. [PMID: 33011522 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The mosquito-borne flavivirus Usutu virus (USUV) has recently emerged in birds and humans in Europe. Symptoms of a USUV infection resemble those of West Nile virus (WNV); further, the close antigenic relationship of domain III (DIII) of the USUV and WNV envelope (E) proteins has prevented the development of a reliable serological test to distinguish USUV from WNV. To begin to address this deficiency, we identified ten different sequence groups of DIII from 253 complete and 80 partial USUV genome sequences. We solved the DIII structures of four groups, including that of the outlying CAR-1969 strain, which shows an atypical DIII structure. Structural comparisons of the USUV DIII groups and the DIII of WNV bound to the neutralizing antibody E16 revealed why the E16 failed to neutralize all USUV strains tested except for USUV CAR-1969. The analyses allowed predictions to be made to engineer an antibody specific for USUV CAR-1969.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina Pletzer
- Max Perutz Labs, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9/3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tim Skern
- Max Perutz Labs, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9/3, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
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17
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Benzarti E, Garigliany M. In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu Virus. Viruses 2020; 12:E1116. [PMID: 33008141 PMCID: PMC7599730 DOI: 10.3390/v12101116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito-borne zoonotic flavivirus discovered in South Africa in 1959, has spread to many European countries over the last 20 years. The virus is currently a major concern for animal health due to its expanding host range and the growing number of avian mass mortality events. Although human infections with USUV are often asymptomatic, they are occasionally accompanied by neurological complications reminiscent of those due to West Nile virus (another flavivirus closely related to USUV). Whilst USUV actually appears less threatening than some other emergent arboviruses, the lessons learned from Chikungunya, Dengue, and Zika viruses during the past few years should not be ignored. Further, it would not be surprising if, with time, USUV disperses further eastwards towards Asia and possibly westwards to the Americas, which may result in more pathogenic USUV strains to humans and/or animals. These observations, inviting the scientific community to be more vigilant about the spread and genetic evolution of USUV, have prompted the use of experimental systems to understand USUV pathogenesis and to boost the development of vaccines and antivirals. This review is the first to provide comprehensive coverage of existing in vitro and in vivo models for USUV infection and to discuss their contribution in advancing data concerning this neurotropic virus. We believe that this paper is a helpful tool for scientists to identify gaps in the knowledge about USUV and to design their future experiments to study the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mutien Garigliany
- Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, Belgium;
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18
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Guerrero-Carvajal F, Bravo-Barriga D, Martín-Cuervo M, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Ferraguti M, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Llorente F, Alonso JM, Frontera E. Serological evidence of co-circulation of West Nile and Usutu viruses in equids from western Spain. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:1432-1444. [PMID: 32853452 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne emerging virus in Europe with capacity to cause neurological complications such as encephalitis or meningoencephalitis in humans, birds or equids. In Spain, WNV is actively circulating in mosquitoes, birds and horses in different regions, but never has been deeply studied in Extremadura. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of WNV in equids of those areas and to analyse the risk factors associated with exposure to the virus. A total of 199 out of 725 equids presented antibodies against WNV by competition ELISA (27.45%), while 22 were doubtful (3.03%). Anti-WNV IgM antibodies were detected in 16 equids (2.21%), and 3 animals were doubtful (0.41%). All ELISA-reactive positive/doubtful sera (N = 226) were further tested by micro-virus neutralization test (VNT), and a total of 143 horses were confirmed as positive for WNV, obtaining a seroprevalence of 19.72% in equids of western Spain. In addition, specific antibodies against USUV were confirmed in 11 equids. In 24 equids, a specific flavivirus species (detected by ELISA test) could not be determined. The generalized linear mixed-effects models showed that the significant risk factors associated with individual WNV infection in equids were the age (adults) and hair coat colour (light), whereas in USUV infections, it was the breed (pure). Data demonstrated that WNV and USUV are circulating in regions of western Spain. Given the high WNV seroprevalence found in equids from the studied areas, it is important to improve the surveillance programmes of public health to detect undiagnosed human cases and to establish a vaccination programme in equid herds in these regions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Bravo-Barriga
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain
| | - María Martín-Cuervo
- Animal Medicine Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain
| | - Pilar Aguilera-Sepúlveda
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Martina Ferraguti
- Anatomy, Cellular Biology and Zoology Department, Science Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Badajoz, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Jiménez-Clavero
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Llorente
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Alonso
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain
| | - Eva Frontera
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain
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19
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Vilibic-Cavlek T, Petrovic T, Savic V, Barbic L, Tabain I, Stevanovic V, Klobucar A, Mrzljak A, Ilic M, Bogdanic M, Benvin I, Santini M, Capak K, Monaco F, Listes E, Savini G. Epidemiology of Usutu Virus: The European Scenario. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9090699. [PMID: 32858963 PMCID: PMC7560012 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9090699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging arbovirus isolated in 1959 (Usutu River, Swaziland). Previously restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, the virus was introduced in Europe in 1996. While the USUV has received little attention in Africa, the virus emergence has prompted numerous studies with robust epidemiological surveillance programs in Europe. The natural transmission cycle of USUV involves mosquitoes (vectors) and birds (amplifying hosts) with humans and other mammals considered incidental ("dead-end") hosts. In Africa, the virus was isolated in mosquitoes, rodents and birds and serologically detected in horses and dogs. In Europe, USUV was detected in bats, whereas antibodies were found in different animal species (horses, dogs, squirrels, wild boar, deer and lizards). While bird mortalities were not reported in Africa, in Europe USUV was shown to be highly pathogenic for several bird species, especially blackbirds (Turdus merula) and great gray owls (Strix nebulosa). Furthermore, neurotropism of USUV for humans was reported for the first time in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. Epizootics and genetic diversity of USUV in different bird species as well as detection of the virus in mosquitoes suggest repeated USUV introductions into Europe with endemization in some countries. The zoonotic potential of USUV has been reported in a growing number of human cases. Clinical cases of neuroinvasive disease and USUV fever, as well as seroconversion in blood donors were reported in Europe since 2009. While most USUV strains detected in humans, birds and mosquitoes belong to European USUV lineages, several reports indicate the presence of African lineages as well. Since spreading trends of USUV are likely to continue, continuous multidisciplinary interventions ("One Health" concept) should be conducted for monitoring and prevention of this emerging arboviral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.T.); (M.B.)
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +385-1-4863-238
| | - Tamas Petrovic
- Department for Virology, Scientific Veterinary Institute, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Vladimir Savic
- Poultry Center, Croatian Veterinary Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Ljubo Barbic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.B.); (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Irena Tabain
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.T.); (M.B.)
| | - Vladimir Stevanovic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.B.); (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Ana Klobucar
- Department of Epidemiology, Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Anna Mrzljak
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
- Department of Medicine, Merkur University Hospital, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maja Ilic
- Department of Epidemiology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Maja Bogdanic
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.T.); (M.B.)
| | - Iva Benvin
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.B.); (V.S.); (I.B.)
| | - Marija Santini
- Department for Intensive Care Medicine and Neuroinfectology, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr Fran Mihaljevic”, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Krunoslav Capak
- Environmental Health Department, Croatian Institute of Public Health, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Federica Monaco
- OIE Reference Center for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.M.); (G.S.)
| | - Eddy Listes
- Laboratory for Diagnostics, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Regional Institute Split, 21000 Split, Croatia;
| | - Giovanni Savini
- OIE Reference Center for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (F.M.); (G.S.)
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20
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Caballero-Gómez J, Cano-Terriza D, Lecollinet S, Carbonell MD, Martínez-Valverde R, Martínez-Nevado E, García-Párraga D, Lowenski S, García-Bocanegra I. Evidence of exposure to zoonotic flaviviruses in zoo mammals in Spain and their potential role as sentinel species. Vet Microbiol 2020; 247:108763. [PMID: 32768215 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2020.108763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
A serosurvey was carried out to assess emerging flavivirus exposure in zoo mammals in Spain and to determine the dynamics of seropositivity in species that were longitudinally sampled during the study period. Sera from 570 zoo animals belonging to 120 mammal species were collected at ten zoos (A-J) in Spain between 2002 and 2019. Twenty-one of these animals, belonging to ten different species, were sampled longitudinally at four of the zoos during the study period. Antigenically-related flavivirus antibodies were detected in 19 (3.3 %; 95 %CI: 2.0-5.2) of the 570 animals analyzed using bELISA. Seropositivity was observed in ten (8.3 %) of the 120 species tested. Five (23.8 %) of the 21 animals sampled more than once presented seropositivity in all samplings whereas seroconversion was only observed in one white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). Flavivirus antibodies were found at six of the ten sampled zoos and in consecutive years between 2008 and 2018. Virus neutralization tests confirmed West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) infection in ten (1.8 %; 95 %CI: 0.7-2.8), five (0.9 %; 95 %CI: 0.1-1.6) and one (0.2 %; 95 %CI: 0.0-0.5) animal, respectively. Antibodies against Meaban virus (0 %; 95 %CI: 0.0-0.7 %) were not found in the tested sera. The results demonstrate WNV, USUV and TBEV exposure in zoo mammals, which may be of public health and conservation concern. Seropositivity to WNV and USUV was detected in regions where these viruses have not been reported previously. Anti-WNV antibodies found in zoo animals sampled in 2009 point to WNV circulation at least one year before the first outbreaks were reported in horses and humans in Spain. Our results indicate that zoo mammals could be useful sentinel species for monitoring emerging flavivirus activity in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Caballero-Gómez
- Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, 14014, Cordoba, Spain; Infectious Diseases Unit, Clinical Virology and Zoonoses Research Group, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía de Córdoba, Instituto Maimonides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), University of Cordoba, 14006, Cordoba, Spain
| | - D Cano-Terriza
- Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, 14014, Cordoba, Spain.
| | - S Lecollinet
- ANSES Laboratoire de Santé Animale de Maisons-Alfort, UMR 1161 Virologie, INRAE, ANSES, ENVA, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - R Martínez-Valverde
- Veterinary and Conservation Department, Bioparc Fuengirola, 29640, Malaga, Spain
| | | | - D García-Párraga
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunidad Valenciana, 46005, Valencia, Spain
| | - S Lowenski
- ANSES Laboratoire de Santé Animale de Maisons-Alfort, UMR 1161 Virologie, INRAE, ANSES, ENVA, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - I García-Bocanegra
- Department of Animal Health, University of Cordoba, 14014, Cordoba, Spain
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21
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Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging arbovirus that was first isolated in South Africa in 1959. This Flavivirus is maintained in the environment through a typical enzootic cycle involving mosquitoes and birds. USUV has spread to a large part of the European continent over the two decades mainly leading to substantial avian mortalities with a significant recrudescence of bird infections recorded throughout Europe within the few last years. USUV infection in humans is considered to be most often asymptomatic or to cause mild clinical signs. Nonetheless, a few cases of neurological complications such as encephalitis or meningoencephalitis have been reported. USUV and West Nile virus (WNV) share many features, like a close phylogenetic relatedness and a similar ecology, with co-circulation frequently observed in nature. However, USUV has been much less studied and in-depth comparisons of the biology of these viruses are yet rare. In this review, we discuss the main body of knowledge regarding USUV and compare it with the literature on WNV, addressing in particular virological and clinical aspects, and pointing data gaps.
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22
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Birnberg L, Temmam S, Aranda C, Correa-Fiz F, Talavera S, Bigot T, Eloit M, Busquets N. Viromics on Honey-Baited FTA Cards as a New Tool for the Detection of Circulating Viruses in Mosquitoes. Viruses 2020; 12:E274. [PMID: 32121402 PMCID: PMC7150749 DOI: 10.3390/v12030274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a major burden on public and animal health. Arthropod vectors, with mosquitoes being the main contributors of global disease, transmit more than 70% of the recognized EIDs. To assess new alternatives for arthropod-borne viral diseases surveillance, and for the detection of new viruses, honey-baited Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards were used as sugar bait in mosquito traps during entomological surveys at the Llobregat River Delta (Catalonia, Spain). Next generation sequencing (NGS) metagenomics analysis was applied on honey-baited FTA cards, which had been exposed to field-captured mosquitoes to characterize their associated virome. Arthropod- and plant-infecting viruses governed the virome profile on FTA cards. Twelve near-complete viral genomes were successfully obtained, suggesting good quality preservation of viral RNAs. Mosquito pools linked to the FTA cards were screened for the detection of mosquito-associated viruses by specific RT-PCRs to confirm the presence of these viruses. The circulation of viruses related to Alphamesonivirus, Quaranjavirus and unclassified Bunyavirales was detected in mosquitoes, and phylogenetic analyses revealed their similarities to viruses previously reported in other continents. To the best our knowledge, our findings constitute the first distribution record of these viruses in European mosquitoes and the first hint of insect-specific viruses in mosquitoes' saliva in field conditions, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach to monitor the transmissible fraction of the mosquitoes' virome. In conclusion, this pilot viromics study on honey-baited FTA cards was shown to be a valid approach for the detection of viruses circulating in mosquitoes, thereby setting up an alternative tool for arbovirus surveillance and control programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotty Birnberg
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Institut de recerca en Tecnologies Agroalimentaries (IRTA), 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (L.B.); (C.A.); (F.C.-F.); (S.T.)
| | - Sarah Temmam
- Institut Pasteur, Pathogen Discovery Laboratory, 75015 Paris, France; (S.T.); (T.B.); (M.E.)
| | - Carles Aranda
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Institut de recerca en Tecnologies Agroalimentaries (IRTA), 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (L.B.); (C.A.); (F.C.-F.); (S.T.)
- Servei de Control de Mosquits del Consell Comarcal del Baix Llobregat, 08820 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Florencia Correa-Fiz
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Institut de recerca en Tecnologies Agroalimentaries (IRTA), 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (L.B.); (C.A.); (F.C.-F.); (S.T.)
| | - Sandra Talavera
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Institut de recerca en Tecnologies Agroalimentaries (IRTA), 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (L.B.); (C.A.); (F.C.-F.); (S.T.)
| | - Thomas Bigot
- Institut Pasteur, Pathogen Discovery Laboratory, 75015 Paris, France; (S.T.); (T.B.); (M.E.)
- Institut Pasteur – Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub—Computational Biology department, Institut Pasteur, USR 3756 CNRS—75015 Paris, France
| | - Marc Eloit
- Institut Pasteur, Pathogen Discovery Laboratory, 75015 Paris, France; (S.T.); (T.B.); (M.E.)
- National Veterinary School of Alfort, Paris-Est University, 94704 CEDEX, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Núria Busquets
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Institut de recerca en Tecnologies Agroalimentaries (IRTA), 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (L.B.); (C.A.); (F.C.-F.); (S.T.)
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23
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Bournez L, Umhang G, Faure E, Boucher JM, Boué F, Jourdain E, Sarasa M, Llorente F, Jiménez-Clavero MA, Moutailler S, Lacour SA, Lecollinet S, Beck C. Exposure of Wild Ungulates to the Usutu and Tick-Borne Encephalitis Viruses in France in 2009-2014: Evidence of Undetected Flavivirus Circulation a Decade Ago. Viruses 2019; 12:E10. [PMID: 31861683 PMCID: PMC7019733 DOI: 10.3390/v12010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract: Flaviviruses have become increasingly important pathogens in Europe over the past few decades. A better understanding of the spatiotemporal distribution of flaviviruses in France is needed to better define risk areas and to gain knowledge of the dynamics of virus transmission cycles. Serum samples from 1014 wild boar and 758 roe deer from 16 departments (administrative units) in France collected from 2009 to 2014 were screened for flavivirus antibodies using a competitive ELISA (cELISA) technique. Serum samples found to be positive or doubtful by cELISA were then tested for antibodies directed against West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV), Bagaza virus (BAGV), and tick-borne encephalitis/Louping ill viruses (TBEV/LIV) by microsphere immunoassays (except BAGV) and micro-neutralization tests. USUV antibodies were detected only in southeastern and southwestern areas. TBEV/LIV antibodies were detected in serum samples from eastern, southwestern and northern departments. The results indicate continuous circulation of USUV in southern France from 2009 to 2014, which was unnoticed by the French monitoring system for bird mortality. The findings also confirm wider distribution of TBEV in the eastern part of the country than of human clinical cases. However, further studies are needed to determine the tick-borne flavivirus responsible for the seroconversion in southwestern and northern France.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Bournez
- Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), CS 40009 54220 Malzéville, France; (G.U.); (J.-M.B.); (F.B.)
| | - Gérald Umhang
- Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), CS 40009 54220 Malzéville, France; (G.U.); (J.-M.B.); (F.B.)
| | - Eva Faure
- National Hunters Federation, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; (E.F.); (M.S.)
| | - Jean-Marc Boucher
- Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), CS 40009 54220 Malzéville, France; (G.U.); (J.-M.B.); (F.B.)
| | - Franck Boué
- Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), CS 40009 54220 Malzéville, France; (G.U.); (J.-M.B.); (F.B.)
| | - Elsa Jourdain
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, Unité mixte de recherche Epidémiologie des maladies animales et zoonotiques (UMR EPIA), 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France;
| | - Mathieu Sarasa
- National Hunters Federation, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; (E.F.); (M.S.)
- Biologie et Ecologie des Organismes et Populations Sauvages (BEOPS), 1 Esplanade Compans Caffarelli, 31000 Toulouse, France
| | - Francisco Llorente
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CISA), 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain; (F.L.); (M.A.J.-C.)
| | - Miguel A. Jiménez-Clavero
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CISA), 28130 Valdeolmos, Spain; (F.L.); (M.A.J.-C.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Moutailler
- Unité mixte de recherche Biologie moléculaire et Immunologie Parasitaire (UMR BIPAR), ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort 94700, France;
| | - Sandrine A. Lacour
- Unité mixte de recherche (UMR) Virologie, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (S.A.L.); (S.L.); (C.B.)
| | - Sylvie Lecollinet
- Unité mixte de recherche (UMR) Virologie, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (S.A.L.); (S.L.); (C.B.)
| | - Cécile Beck
- Unité mixte de recherche (UMR) Virologie, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France; (S.A.L.); (S.L.); (C.B.)
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Gill CM, Kapadia RK, Beckham JD, Piquet AL, Tyler KL, Pastula DM. Usutu virus disease: a potential problem for North America? J Neurovirol 2019; 26:149-154. [PMID: 31858483 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-019-00818-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Usutu virus is an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus initially identified in South Africa in 1959 that is now circulating throughout parts of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It is closely related to West Nile virus, and has similar vectors, amplifying bird hosts, and epidemiology. Usutu virus infection can occur in humans and may be asymptomatic or cause systemic (e.g., fever, rash, and hepatitis) or neuroinvasive (e.g., meningitis and encephalitis) disease. Given few reported cases, the full clinical spectrum is not known. No anti-viral treatment is available, but it can be largely prevented by avoiding mosquito bites. Because of similar mosquitoes, birds, and climate to Europe, the potential for introduction to North America is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Gill
- Neuro-Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mail Stop B182, Research Complex 2, 12700 East 19th Ave., Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Ronak K Kapadia
- Neuro-Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mail Stop B182, Research Complex 2, 12700 East 19th Ave., Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - J David Beckham
- Neuro-Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mail Stop B182, Research Complex 2, 12700 East 19th Ave., Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Amanda L Piquet
- Neuro-Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mail Stop B182, Research Complex 2, 12700 East 19th Ave., Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Kenneth L Tyler
- Neuro-Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mail Stop B182, Research Complex 2, 12700 East 19th Ave., Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Immunology-Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Daniel M Pastula
- Neuro-Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mail Stop B182, Research Complex 2, 12700 East 19th Ave., Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA.
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25
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Roiz D, Vázquez A, Ruiz S, Tenorio A, Soriguer R, Figuerola J. Evidence that Passerine Birds Act as Amplifying Hosts for Usutu Virus Circulation. ECOHEALTH 2019; 16:734-742. [PMID: 31628631 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-019-01441-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Environment determines the distribution and prevalence of vector-borne pathogens due to its direct and indirect effects on the hosts, vectors, and pathogens. To investigate the relationship between Usutu virus occurrence and host biodiversity and to characterize the nidus of infection, we used field-based measures of host diversity and density (all birds and only passerines), vector abundance, landscape and Usutu virus prevalence (mosquito infection rate), an emergent disease with a similar cycle to West Nile virus. We collected 908,237 female mosquitoes in an area of 54,984 ha in the Doñana National Park, southern Spain. We identified the mosquitoes and screened them for viruses, censused birds, characterized landscape and climatic variables, and then modeled the presence and infection rate of the virus in relation to host, vector, climatic, and landscape variables. Monthly Usutu presence, detected in Culex perexiguus, was positively related to Passeriformes richness and secondarily to NDVI in the previous month. Our results suggest that Usutu prevalence may be higher when and where host (passerine) richness was high, and thus challenging the conventional idea that host biodiversity reduces flavivirus amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Roiz
- UMR, IRD224-CNRS5290-UM, Infectious Diseases and Vectors: Ecology, Genetics, Evolution and Control (MIVEGEC), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 911, Avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, France.
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Av. Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092, Seville, Spain.
| | - Ana Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Arbovirus y Enfermedades Viricas Importadas, Centro Nacional de Microbiologia, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Ruiz
- Diputación de Huelva, Área de Medio Ambiente, Servicio de Control de Mosquitos, Huelva, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Tenorio
- Laboratorio de Arbovirus y Enfermedades Viricas Importadas, Centro Nacional de Microbiologia, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramón Soriguer
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Av. Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092, Seville, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Av. Américo Vespucio, 26, 41092, Seville, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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26
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Weidinger P, Kolodziejek J, Bakonyi T, Brunthaler R, Erdélyi K, Weissenböck H, Nowotny N. Different dynamics of Usutu virus infections in Austria and Hungary, 2017-2018. Transbound Emerg Dis 2019; 67:298-307. [PMID: 31505099 PMCID: PMC7003936 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito‐borne flavivirus closely related to West Nile virus, emerged in Austria in 2001, when it caused a considerable mass‐mortality of Eurasian blackbirds. Cases in birds increased until 2003 and quickly declined thereafter, presumably due to developing herd immunity. Since 2006, no further cases were recorded, until two blackbirds were tested positive in 2016. In Hungary, USUV first appeared in 2005 and has caused only sporadic infections since then. Initially, the only genetic USUV lineage found across both countries was Europe 1. This changed in 2015/2016, when Europe 2 emerged, which has since then become the prevalent lineage. Due to dispersal of these strains and introduction of new genetic lineages, USUV infections are now widespread across Europe. In 2009, the first cases of USUV‐related encephalitis were described in humans, and the virus has been frequently detected in blood donations since 2016. To monitor USUV infections among the Austrian wild bird population in 2017/2018, 86 samples were investigated by RT‐PCR. In 67 of them, USUV nucleic acid was detected (17 in 2017, 50 in 2018). The majority of succumbed birds were blackbirds, found in Vienna and Lower Austria. However, the virus also spread westwards to Upper Austria and southwards to Styria and Carinthia. In Hungary, 253 wild birds were examined, but only six of them were infected with USUV (five in 2017, one in 2018). Thus, in contrast to the considerable increase in USUV‐associated bird mortality in Austria, the number of infections in Hungary declined after a peak in 2016. Except for one case of USUV lineage Africa 3 in Austria in 2017, Europe 2 remains the most prevalent genetic lineage in both countries. Since USUV transmission largely depends on temperature, which affects vector populations, climate change may cause more frequent USUV outbreaks in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Weidinger
- Viral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infections Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jolanta Kolodziejek
- Viral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infections Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tamás Bakonyi
- Viral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infections Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - René Brunthaler
- Institute of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Károly Erdélyi
- Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, National Food Chain Safety Office, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Norbert Nowotny
- Viral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infections Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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27
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Usefulness of Eurasian Magpies ( Pica pica) for West Nile virus Surveillance in Non-Endemic and Endemic Situations. Viruses 2019; 11:v11080716. [PMID: 31387316 PMCID: PMC6722797 DOI: 10.3390/v11080716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
: In September 2017, passive surveillance allowed the detection of West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 for the first time in northern Spain in a northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis). However, a cross sectional study carried out in Eurasian magpies (Pica pica) in a nearby area evidenced that WNV had been circulating two months earlier. Therefore, active surveillance in Eurasian magpies proved its effectiveness for the early detection of WNV in a non-endemic area. Further surveys in 2018 and the beginning of 2019 using young magpies (i.e., born after 2017) showed the repeated circulation of WNV in the same region in the following transmission season. Therefore, active surveillance in Eurasian magpies as well proved to be useful for the detection of WNV circulation in areas that may be considered as endemic. In this manuscript we present the results of those studies and discuss reasons that make the Eurasian magpies an ideal species for the surveillance of WNV, both in endemic and non-endemic areas.
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Paaijmans K, Brustollin M, Aranda C, Eritja R, Talavera S, Pagès N, Huijben S. Phenotypic insecticide resistance in arbovirus mosquito vectors in Catalonia and its capital Barcelona (Spain). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217860. [PMID: 31276554 PMCID: PMC6611561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A range of mosquito species that belong to the Culicidae family are responsible for the worldwide transmission of infectious arboviral diseases such as dengue fever, Zika, West Nile fever and Chikungunya fever. Spain is at risk of arbovirus outbreaks, as various arboviral diseases are frequently introduced and it has established competent vector populations. Autochthonous human cases of West Nile virus have been reported infrequently since 2004, and since October 2018 three autochthonous human case of dengue fever have been confirmed. In response to an outbreak of any arboviral disease, space spraying or fogging will be implemented to control adult mosquito populations. To ensure adulticiding is cost-effective, the insecticide susceptibility status of vectors throughout Catalonia, an autonomous region in north-eastern Spain, was assessed through standardized WHO tube and CDC bottle bioassays. All Culex pipiens populations tested were resistant to at least one of the pyrethroids tested, whereas Aedes albopictus populations were susceptible to all pyrethroids tested. More detailed studies on the Cx. pipiens populations from the Barcelona area (the capital and largest city of Catalonia) revealed resistance to all four classes of public health insecticides available (pyrethroids, carbamates, organophosphates and organochlorides). All Ae. albopictus populations were susceptible to those classes, except for one of the tests performed with pirimiphos-methyl (an organophosphate). Pyrethroids are currently the first line chemical class to be used in space spray operations in response to an outbreak of an arboviral disease. While pyrethroids can be effective in reducing Ae. albopictus populations, this class may not be effective to control Cx. pipiens populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krijn Paaijmans
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
- The Biodesign Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Marco Brustollin
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA), Barcelona, Spain
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of The Life Sciences, Millennium Science Complex, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States of America
| | - Carles Aranda
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA), Barcelona, Spain
- Servei de Control de Mosquits, Consell Comarcal del Baix Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roger Eritja
- Servei de Control de Mosquits, Consell Comarcal del Baix Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Sandra Talavera
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nonito Pagès
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA), Barcelona, Spain
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Petit Bourg, Guadeloupe, France
- ASTRE, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France
| | - Silvie Huijben
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
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Vilibic-Cavlek T, Savic V, Petrovic T, Toplak I, Barbic L, Petric D, Tabain I, Hrnjakovic-Cvjetkovic I, Bogdanic M, Klobucar A, Mrzljak A, Stevanovic V, Dinjar-Kujundzic P, Radmanic L, Monaco F, Listes E, Savini G. Emerging Trends in the Epidemiology of West Nile and Usutu Virus Infections in Southern Europe. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:437. [PMID: 31867347 PMCID: PMC6908483 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidemiology of West Nile (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Since 1999, there have been regular reports of WNV outbreaks and the virus has expanded its area of circulation in many Southern European countries. After emerging in Italy in 1996, USUV has spread to other countries causing mortality in several bird species. In 2009, USUV seroconversion in horses was reported in Italy. Co-circulation of both viruses was detected in humans, horses and birds. The main vector of WNV and USUV in Europe is Culex pipiens, however, both viruses were found in native Culex mosquito species (Cx. modestus, Cx. perexiguus). Experimental competence to transmit the WNV was also proven for native and invasive mosquitoes of Aedes and Culex genera (Ae. albopictus, Ae. detritus, Cx. torrentium). Recently, Ae. albopictus and Ae. japonicus naturally-infected with USUV were reported. While neuroinvasive human WNV infections are well-documented, USUV infections are sporadically detected. However, there is increasing evidence of a role of USUV in human disease. Seroepidemiological studies showed that USUV circulation is more common than WNV in some endemic regions. Recent data showed that WNV strains detected in humans, horses, birds, and mosquitoes mainly belong to lineage 2. In addition to European USUV lineages, some reports indicate the presence of African USUV lineages as well. The trends in WNV/USUV range and vector expansion are likely to continue in future years. This mini-review provides an update on the epidemiology of WNV and USUV infections in Southern Europe within a multidisciplinary "One Health" context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- *Correspondence: Tatjana Vilibic-Cavlek
| | - Vladimir Savic
- Poultry Center, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tamas Petrovic
- Department for Virology, Scientific Veterinary Institute, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Ivan Toplak
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ljubo Barbic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases With Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dusan Petric
- Laboratory for Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Irena Tabain
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivana Hrnjakovic-Cvjetkovic
- Center for Microbiology, Institute of Public Health Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Medical Faculty, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Maja Bogdanic
- Department of Virology, Croatian Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Klobucar
- Division of Disinfection, Disinfestation and Pest Control, Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anna Mrzljak
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Medicine, Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vladimir Stevanovic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases With Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Luka Radmanic
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases With Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Federica Monaco
- OIE Reference Center for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Eddy Listes
- Laboratory for Diagnostics, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Regional Institute Split, Split, Croatia
| | - Giovanni Savini
- OIE Reference Center for West Nile Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
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30
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Busquets N, Laranjo-González M, Soler M, Nicolás O, Rivas R, Talavera S, Villalba R, San Miguel E, Torner N, Aranda C, Napp S. Detection of West Nile virus lineage 2 in North-Eastern Spain (Catalonia). Transbound Emerg Dis 2018; 66:617-621. [PMID: 30506625 PMCID: PMC7380044 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In September 2017, West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 was detected in Catalonia (Northern Spain) in northern goshawks by passive surveillance. The phylogenetic analyses showed that it was related to the Central/Southern European strains, evidencing WNV lineage 2 spread to Western Europe. WNV local transmission was later detected in bearded vultures housed at the Wildlife Recovery center where the goshawk was transferred to. Further studies, before the following period of high mosquito activity, indicated that WNV had circulated intensively in poultry and horses but only surrounding of the area where the virus was detected. In other areas of Catalonia, circulation of flaviviruses different to WNV was identified. Public Health investigations failed to detect WNV infection in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Núria Busquets
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | | | - Mercè Soler
- Departament d'Agricultura, Ramaderia, Pesca i Alimentació Generalitat de Catalunya, Servei de Prevenció en Salut Animal, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Nicolás
- Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat, Centre de Fauna de Vallcalent, Lleida, Spain
| | - Raquel Rivas
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Sandra Talavera
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Rubén Villalba
- Laboratorio Central de Veterinaria, Ministerio de Agricultura y Pesca, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (MAPAMA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena San Miguel
- Laboratorio Central de Veterinaria, Ministerio de Agricultura y Pesca, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (MAPAMA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Núria Torner
- Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carles Aranda
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.,Servei de Control de Mosquits, Consell Comarcal del Baix Llobregat, Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Sebastian Napp
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
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31
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Segura Guerrero NA, Sharma S, Neyts J, Kaptein SJF. Favipiravir inhibits in vitro Usutu virus replication and delays disease progression in an infection model in mice. Antiviral Res 2018; 160:137-142. [PMID: 30385306 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2018.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging flavivirus that causes Usutu disease mainly in birds, but infection of mammals such as rodents, bats and horses has also been demonstrated. In addition, human cases (both in immunocompromised and -competent individuals) were also reported. Large outbreaks with other flaviviruses, such as West Nile virus and Zika virus, indicate that one should be vigilant for yet other outbreaks. To allow the identification of inhibitors of USUV replication, we established in vitro antiviral assays, which were validated using a small selection of known flavivirus inhibitors, including the broad-spectrum viral RNA polymerase inhibitor favipiravir (T-705). Next, an USUV infection model in AG129 (IFN-α/β and IFN-γ receptor knockout) mice was established. AG129 mice proved highly susceptible to USUV; an inoculum as low as 102 PFU (1.3 × 105 TCID50) resulted in the development of symptoms as early as 3 days post infection with viral RNA being detectable in various tissues. Treatment of mice with favipiravir (150 mg/kg/dose, BID, oral gavage) significantly reduced viral load in blood and tissues and significantly delayed virus-induced disease. This USUV mouse model is thus amenable for assessing the potential in vivo efficacy of (novel) USUV/flavivirus inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidya A Segura Guerrero
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium; Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja, Colombia
| | - Sapna Sharma
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Suzanne J F Kaptein
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
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32
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Montagnaro S, Piantedosi D, Ciarcia R, Loponte R, Veneziano V, Fusco G, Amoroso MG, Ferrara G, Damiano S, Iovane G, Pagnini U. Serological Evidence of Mosquito-Borne Flaviviruses Circulation in Hunting Dogs in Campania Region, Italy. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018; 19:142-147. [PMID: 30160624 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A Flavivirus survey on 183 hunting dogs was conducted in Campania region, Southern Italy. The seroprevalence value of 40.43% (74/183, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] 33.37-47.49) detected in our study using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent serologic assay (cELISA) proves a considerable level of Flavivirus exposition of these animals. Among the 74 cELISA-positive sera, seroneutralization (SN) test showed that 24 sera resulted positive for Usutu virus with an overall prevalence of 13.11% (24/183) (95% CI 8.27-17.95), but none of cELISA-positive samples resulted positive for West Nile virus. Data analysis showed a significant difference of cELISA seropositivity risk factors in case of presence of farm animals in contact with hunting dogs and for dogs living in a rural environment but not for gender, age, management, hunting season, and hunting abroad. A RT-PCR assay was performed to detect the Flavivirus RNA, but none of the blood samples tested positive. This study documents the first report regarding the circulation of Flavivirus in hunting dog in Southern Italy and suggests the dog as an interesting target to monitor Flavivirus circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Montagnaro
- 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples "Federico II" , Naples, Italy
| | - Diego Piantedosi
- 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples "Federico II" , Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Ciarcia
- 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples "Federico II" , Naples, Italy
| | - Rosa Loponte
- 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples "Federico II" , Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Veneziano
- 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples "Federico II" , Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanna Fusco
- 2 Unit of Virology, Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Amoroso
- 2 Unit of Virology, Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Ferrara
- 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples "Federico II" , Naples, Italy
| | - Sara Damiano
- 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples "Federico II" , Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Iovane
- 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples "Federico II" , Naples, Italy
| | - Ugo Pagnini
- 1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples "Federico II" , Naples, Italy
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Cook CL, Huang YJS, Lyons AC, Alto BW, Unlu I, Higgs S, Vanlandingham DL. North American Culex pipiens and Culex quinquefasciatus are competent vectors for Usutu virus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006732. [PMID: 30118480 PMCID: PMC6114897 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Usutu virus (USUV) is a member of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) serocomplex in the Flaviviridae family. Emergence of USUV in Europe has led to disease burdens in birds and created increasing concern for the potential zoonotic transmission to humans. Whilst USUV has not been detected in the New World, the identification of competent vector species in North America is critical in the assessment of the likelihood of its dispersal and establishment of enzootic transmission cycles. The objective of this study was to determine vector competence of potential mosquito vectors in North America for USUV. Three medically important mosquito species were selected for testing because of their involvement in the transmission of West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus, two related JEV serocomplex flaviviruses in the New World. Methodology/Principal findings Oral challenge of Culex pipiens, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes albopictus was performed to determine the susceptibility and vector competence of North American mosquitoes for USUV. Infection status was monitored by the isolation of virus from homogenized mosquito tissues. The disseminated form of infection was demonstrated by the detection of infectious virus in the head, wings, and legs of infected mosquitoes. The presence of viral RNA in saliva of infected Cx. pipiens and Cx. quinquefasciatus indicated that both species are competent for transmission of USUV. Conclusions/Significance Results indicate that members of the Cx. pipiens complex are susceptible to USUV and competent for its transmission potential in North America in the event of its introduction. In contrast, Ae. albopictus were highly refractory to USUV infection, suggesting that this species is unlikely to contribute to USUV transmission in North America. Usutu virus is an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus maintained between avian and mosquito species. Although the pathogen has only been detected in Africa and Europe, a growing concern of its dispersal and zoonotic potential warrants the investigation on the vector competence of mosquito species outside the endemic regions for USUV. Identification of species involved in the transmission cycles allows for the formulation of disease control strategies such as vector control. As observed with West Nile virus and Japanese encephalitis virus, the presence of competent vector species is critical for the establishment of enzootic transmission cycles and contributes to the viral maintenance in nature. Despite differences in the genetics and bionomics of Culex pipiens in the Old World, members of the Cx. pipiens species in the New World are competent for USUV based on the results of per os challenges performed in this study. Cx. pipiens and Cx. quinquefasciatus are capable of initiating enzootic transmission cycles in the presence of susceptible avian species and should be targeted for vector control in the event of a disease outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian L. Cook
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
- Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Yan-Jang S. Huang
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
- Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Amy C. Lyons
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
- Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Barry W. Alto
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida, Vero Beach, Florida, United States of America
| | - Isik Unlu
- Mercer County Mosquito Control, West Trenton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Stephen Higgs
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
- Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Dana L. Vanlandingham
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
- Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Hernández-Triana LM, de Marco MF, Mansfield KL, Thorne L, Lumley S, Marston D, Fooks AA, Johnson N. Assessment of vector competence of UK mosquitoes for Usutu virus of African origin. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:381. [PMID: 29970149 PMCID: PMC6029037 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2959-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Usutu virus (USUV) is an emerging zoonotic virus originally from sub-Saharan Africa. It has been introduced into Europe on multiple occasions, causing substantial mortality within the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula) population. It is transmitted by the mosquito species Culex pipiens in Europe and Africa. Vector competence studies indicate that European strains of USUV are readily transmitted by indigenous Cx. pipiens. However, there is limited information on the ability of an African strain to infect European mosquitoes. METHODS We evaluated the ability of African strain SAAR-1776 to infect two lines of Cx. pipiens colonised within the United Kingdom (UK). Mosquitoes were fed blood meals containing this virus and maintained at 25 °C for up to 21 days. Individual mosquitoes were tested for the presence of virus in the body, legs and an expectorate saliva sample. Changes to the consensus of the virus genome were monitored in samples derived from infected mosquitoes using amplicon based next generation sequencing. RESULTS Infection, dissemination and the presence of virus in saliva in one mosquito line was observed, but no evidence for dissemination in the second mosquito line. This suggests a strong barrier to infection in UK Cx. pipiens for this strain of USUV. When comparing the genome of input virus within the blood meal with USUV recovered from an infected mosquito, we observed limited changes in the consensus genome sequence. CONCLUSIONS The evaluation of vector competence of UK populations of Cx. pipiens for Usutu virus suggests a limited susceptibility to infection with USUV strain SAAR-1776 of African origin. However, within a single mosquito there was complete dissemination and expectoration of USUV, indicating that infection, and potentially transmission, is possible. Sequence changes were observed that may represent early adaption to the mosquito host and could reflect the early events of USUV establishment in European mosquito populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M. Hernández-Triana
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UK
| | - Maria Fernández de Marco
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UK
| | - Karen L. Mansfield
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UK
| | - Leigh Thorne
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UK
| | - Sarah Lumley
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UK
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 XH UK
- Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG UK
| | - Denise Marston
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UK
| | - Anthony A. Fooks
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UK
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Nick Johnson
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB UK
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 XH UK
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Abstract
Eastern Europe (EE) has been severely affected by mosquito-borne viruses (moboviruses). In this review, we summarize the epidemiology of moboviruses, with particular attention to West Nile virus (WNV). The study of WNV human cases in EE between 2010 and 2016, revealed that the epidemiology of WNV in EE is complex with the combination of introduction of different WNV strains from lineages 1 and 2, and the establishment of endemic cycles. We found a positive correlation between the risk of WNV re-emergence in an area and the number of human cases reported in the previous year. We also report the main ecological and biological characteristics of the key mosquito species vectors of moboviruses. Recent expansion of invasive mosquito species in EE, mainly Aedes albopictus but also Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus, may result in new scenarios with an increased risk of transmission of moboviruses. Main gaps of knowledge in relation to moboviruses and their vectors in EE are identified. Understanding the epidemiology of moboviruses in EE is essential for the improvement of their surveillance and the control of the diseases they cause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Napp
- IRTA,Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Dusan Petrić
- University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Laboratory for Medical Entomology, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Núria Busquets
- IRTA,Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,Bellaterra, Spain
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García-Bocanegra I, Jurado-Tarifa E, Cano-Terriza D, Martínez R, Pérez-Marín JE, Lecollinet S. Exposure to West Nile virus and tick-borne encephalitis virus in dogs in Spain. Transbound Emerg Dis 2018; 65:765-772. [PMID: 29322674 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In the past decade, the spread of emerging zoonotic flaviviruses (genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae) has been reported in many regions worldwide, representing a threat to both human and animal health. A serosurvey was carried out to assess exposure and risk factors associated with antigenically related flaviviruses, particularly West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), in dogs in Spain. Flavivirus antibodies were detected in 39 of 815 dogs (4.8%; 95% CI: 3.3-6.3) by bELISA. Significantly higher seropositivity was observed in hunting dogs compared to pet dogs. Virus neutralization tests confirmed WNV-specific and TBEV-specific antibodies in 11 and 14 bELISA-positive dogs, respectively. This is the first serosurvey of WNV and TBEV in dogs in Spain and the first report of TBEV circulation in this country. The seropositivity obtained indicates widespread, but not homogeneous, distribution of WNV and TBEV in dogs in Spain. In 2013 and 2015, WNV-seropositive dogs were detected in those areas of Andalusia where the highest number of WNV outbreaks were reported in both horses and humans. Antibodies against TBEV have been found in dogs sampled in two different periods and regions in Spain. Serosurveillance in dogs could be a complementary way of monitoring the activity of emerging flaviviruses in Spain.
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Affiliation(s)
- I García-Bocanegra
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba-Agrifood Excellence International Campus (ceiA3), Córdoba, Spain
| | - E Jurado-Tarifa
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba-Agrifood Excellence International Campus (ceiA3), Córdoba, Spain
| | - D Cano-Terriza
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba-Agrifood Excellence International Campus (ceiA3), Córdoba, Spain
| | - R Martínez
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
| | - J E Pérez-Marín
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
| | - S Lecollinet
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale de Maisons-Alfort, UMR 1161 Virologie, INRA, ANSES, ENVA, Maisons-Alfort, France
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Bakonyi T, Erdélyi K, Brunthaler R, Dán Á, Weissenböck H, Nowotny N. Usutu virus, Austria and Hungary, 2010-2016. Emerg Microbes Infect 2017; 6:e85. [PMID: 29018253 PMCID: PMC5658768 DOI: 10.1038/emi.2017.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV, Flaviviridae) was first reported in Europe in Austria in 2001, where it caused wild bird (mainly blackbird) mortality until 2005. Since 2006 no further USUV cases were diagnosed in the country. However, the virus emerged in other European countries (Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic) between 2005 and 2011. In 2016, widespread USUV-associated wild bird mortality was observed in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. In this study, we report the results of passive monitoring for USUV in Austria and Hungary between 2010 and 2016. In Hungary, USUV caused sporadic cases of wild bird mortality between 2010 and 2015 (altogether 18 diagnosed cases), whereas in summer and autumn 2016 the number of cases considerably increased to 12 (ten blackbirds, one Eurasian jay and one starling). In Austria, USUV was identified in two blackbirds in 2016. Phylogenetic analyses of coding-complete genomes and partial regions of the NS5 protein gene revealed that USUVs from Hungary between 2010 and 2015 are closely related to the virus that emerged in Austria in 2001 and in Hungary in 2005, while one Hungarian sequence from 2015 and all sequences from Hungary and Austria from 2016 clustered together with USUV sequences reported from Italy between 2009 and 2010. The results of the study indicate continuous USUV circulation in the region and exchange of USUV strains between Italy, Austria and Hungary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Bakonyi
- Viral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infections Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.,Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungária krt. 23-25, 1143 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Károly Erdélyi
- Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, National Food Chain Safety Office, Tábornok utca 2, 1149 Budapest, Hungary
| | - René Brunthaler
- Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ádám Dán
- Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate, National Food Chain Safety Office, Tábornok utca 2, 1149 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Herbert Weissenböck
- Institute of Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Norbert Nowotny
- Viral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infections Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.,Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box 505055, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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38
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Gaibani P, Rossini G. An overview of Usutu virus. Microbes Infect 2017; 19:382-387. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2017.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Revised: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Bravo-Barriga D, Gomes B, Almeida APG, Serrano-Aguilera FJ, Pérez-Martín JE, Calero-Bernal R, Reina D, Frontera E, Pinto J. The mosquito fauna of the western region of Spain with emphasis on ecological factors and the characterization of Culex pipiens forms. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2017; 42:136-147. [PMID: 28504431 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED This study updates the diversity, distribution, and seasonal trends of mosquitoes in a western region of Spain, assesses ecological determinants of Culex pipiens s.l., and determines form composition of Cx. pipiens s.s. POPULATIONS A total of 1,495 mosquitoes of 16 species was collected during 2012-2013, of which Cx. pipiens s.l. and Cx. theileri were the most abundant. Five new records for An. maculipennis s.s., Orthopodomyia pulcripalpis, Aedes (Ochlerotatus) punctor, Cx. europaeus, and Cx. modestus were found for this region. Cx. pipiens density varied across weather and habitat patterns, correlating positively with high temperatures and with a preference for urbanized areas and rural areas within a proximity of ovine farms. Moreover, molecular identification by CQ11FL was performed in 467 Cx. pipiens s.s., detecting both pipiens (66%) and molestus (8.4%) forms coexisting in different habitats (urban, peri-urban and rural) aboveground with a high degree of hybridization (25.7%). The abundance of Cx. pipiens in urban areas and farms, with the presence of hybrids, may increase their capacity to act as bridge vectors for the transmission of arboviral infections. These data will be helpful for further implementation of entomological programs focused on risk assessment for arboviruses or other mosquito-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bravo-Barriga
- Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain
| | - Bruno Gomes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Antonio P G Almeida
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
- Center for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Francisco J Serrano-Aguilera
- Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain
| | - Juan E Pérez-Martín
- Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain
| | - Rafael Calero-Bernal
- Parasitology Service National Centre for Microbiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Reina
- Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain
| | - Eva Frontera
- Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain
| | - João Pinto
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
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Calzolari M, Chiapponi C, Bonilauri P, Lelli D, Baioni L, Barbieri I, Lavazza A, Pongolini S, Dottori M, Moreno A. Co-circulation of two Usutu virus strains in Northern Italy between 2009 and 2014. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2017; 51:255-262. [PMID: 28341546 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Revised: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Usutu virus is an arbovirus closely related to West Nile virus (genus Flavivirus), which circulates between mosquitoes and wild birds. This virus has been increasingly reported in Europe, raising concerns for its possible pathogenic potential for wild birds and humans. This study reports the whole genome sequences of 15 strains of USUV, isolated between 2010 and 2014 from mosquitoes and wild birds in the course of West Nile virus surveillance in the Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy regions of Northern Italy. Both whole and 656 partial genome sequences, obtained from isolated viruses and field samples (mosquitoes and wild birds), were analyzed to describe the temporal and geographical spread of USUV in the surveyed area. The detected sequences belonged to two groups, with one circulating primarily in the northwestern part of the area and the other in the southeastern part. This pattern is likely the result of different routes of introduction from the North (over the Alps) and from the East, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of obtained sequences and other European sequences demonstrated that the majority of European strains belonged to one main clade, while less common strains, mainly from Western Europe, fell in other two clades. This analysis strongly suggested an autochthonous evolution process of strains of the main clade from a common ancestor with an estimated time of arrival in Europe at the beginning of the 1990s. In addition to causing mass mortality in wild birds, Usutu virus can infect humans and can sporadically cause disease. These factors and the endemization of the Usutu virus in a large area of Europe, sustained by the obtained data, strongly support the need to adequately survey Usutu virus in areas in which its circulation is detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Calzolari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Chiara Chiapponi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Paolo Bonilauri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Davide Lelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Laura Baioni
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Barbieri
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Antonio Lavazza
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Stefano Pongolini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Michele Dottori
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Ana Moreno
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER) "B. Ubertini", Via Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
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Sang R, Lutomiah J, Said M, Makio A, Koka H, Koskei E, Nyunja A, Owaka S, Matoke-Muhia D, Bukachi S, Lindahl J, Grace D, Bett B. Effects of Irrigation and Rainfall on the Population Dynamics of Rift Valley Fever and Other Arbovirus Mosquito Vectors in the Epidemic-Prone Tana River County, Kenya. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:460-470. [PMID: 28011732 PMCID: PMC5850818 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne viral zoonosis that is found in most regions of sub-Saharan Africa, and it affects humans, livestock, and some wild ungulates. Outbreaks are precipitated by an abundance of mosquito vectors associated with heavy persistent rainfall with flooding. We determined the impact of flood-irrigation farming and the effect of environmental parameters on the ecology and densities of primary and secondary vectors of the RVF virus (RVFV) in an RVF-epidemic hotspot in the Tana River Basin, Kenya. Mosquito sampling was conducted in farms and villages (settlements) in an irrigated and a neighboring nonirrigated site (Murukani). Overall, a significantly higher number of mosquitoes were collected in farms in the irrigation scheme compared with villages in the same area (P < 0.001), or farms (P < 0.001), and villages (P = 0.03) in Murukani. In particular, key primary vectors of RVFV, Aedes mcintoshi Marks and Aedes ochraceous Theobald, were more prevalent in the farms compared with villages in the irrigation scheme (P = 0.001) both during the dry and the wet seasons. Similarly, there was a greater abundance of secondary vectors, particularly Culex univittatus Theobald and Culex pipiens (L.) in the irrigation scheme than in the Murukani area. Rainfall and humidity were positively correlated with mosquito densities, particularly the primary vectors. Adult floodwater mosquitoes and Mansonia spp. were collected indoors; immatures of Ae. mcintoshi and secondary vectors were collected in the irrigation drainage canals, whereas those of Ae. ochraceous and Aedes sudanensis Theobald were missing from these water bodies. In conclusion, irrigation in RVF endemic areas provides conducive resting and breeding conditions for vectors of RVFV and other endemic arboviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Sang
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - J Lutomiah
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - M Said
- Food Safety and Zoonosis Research Program, International Livestock Research Institute, P. O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; )
| | - A Makio
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - H Koka
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - E Koskei
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - A Nyunja
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - S Owaka
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - D Matoke-Muhia
- Center for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Mbagathi Way, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; ; ; ; ; )
| | - S Bukachi
- Institute of Anthropology, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30079-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - J Lindahl
- Food Safety and Zoonosis Research Program, International Livestock Research Institute, P. O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; )
| | - D Grace
- Food Safety and Zoonosis Research Program, International Livestock Research Institute, P. O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; )
| | - B Bett
- Food Safety and Zoonosis Research Program, International Livestock Research Institute, P. O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya (; ; ; )
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Medlock J, Jameson L. Ecological approaches to informing public health policy and risk assessments on emerging vector-borne zoonoses. EMERGING HEALTH THREATS JOURNAL 2017. [DOI: 10.3402/ehtj.v3i0.7095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jolyon Medlock
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology Group, Microbial Risk Assessment, Health Protection Agency, Salisbury, UK
| | - Lisa Jameson
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology Group, Microbial Risk Assessment, Health Protection Agency, Salisbury, UK
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Samanta I, Bandyopadhyay S. Infectious Diseases. PET BIRD DISEASES AND CARE 2017. [PMCID: PMC7121861 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-3674-3_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The chapter describes bacerial, viral, parasitic and fungal infections commonly detected in pet birds. The chapter includes history, etiology, susceptible hosts, transmission, pathogenesis, clinical symptoms, lesion, diagnosis, zoonosis, Treatment and control strategy of Tuberculosis, Salmonellosis, Chlamydiosis, Campylobacteriosis, Lyme disease, other bacterial infection, Newcastle disease, Avian Influenza infection, West Nile Virus infection, Usutu virus infection, Avian Borna Virus infection, Beak and feather disease, other viral infection, Toxoplasmosis, Giardiasis, Cryptosporidiosis, other parasitic infection, Cryptococcosis, Aspergillosis, Other fungal infections.
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Ziegler U, Jöst H, Müller K, Fischer D, Rinder M, Tietze DT, Danner KJ, Becker N, Skuballa J, Hamann HP, Bosch S, Fast C, Eiden M, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Groschup MH. Epidemic Spread of Usutu Virus in Southwest Germany in 2011 to 2013 and Monitoring of Wild Birds for Usutu and West Nile Viruses. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 15:481-8. [PMID: 26273809 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2014.1746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne viruses are becoming an increasing threat for Europe. One of these viruses is Usutu virus (USUV), a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis virus group within the family Flaviviridae. Since the occurrence of USUV among wild birds in June, 2011, infected Blackbirds (Turdus merula) have frequently been found dead in southwest Germany, cumulating in a massive die-off. Moreover, other bird species (Strigiformes) in this region have been affected. In a first study, 209 of over 600 dead birds (wild birds and birds kept in aviaries) collected from 2011 to 2013 carried USUV, more than 88% of them Blackbirds. USUV had already been detected in 2010, one year before the epizooty, in a mosquito-based surveillance program in Germany. The main epidemic area of the USUV outbreak in wild birds in southwest Germany has been similar for the last three years. In a second study during 2011 to 2013, 902 live migratory and resident birds (representing 87 bird species belonging to 14 bird orders) from four different sampling sites were bled and tested serologically and by qPCR for West Nile virus (WNV) and USUV infections. No USUV or WNV genomes were detected. Some migratory birds (mainly long-distance migrants and some partial migrants) carried neutralizing antibodies against WNV as discriminated by USUV and WNV cross-neutralization tests. Only few resident birds showed relevant USUV-specific neutralizing antibodies. The occurrence of USUV in the Upper Rhine valley area of southwest Germany is a proof of principle for the incursion and spread of other arthropod-borne (arbo)-viruses along these routes. Therefore, monitoring studies in birds and mosquitoes for the presence of arboviruses in these areas are indispensable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Ziegler
- 1 Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Hanna Jöst
- 2 German Mosquito Control Association (KABS) Speyer , Germany
| | - Kerstin Müller
- 3 Department of Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin , Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominik Fischer
- 4 Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University Giessen , Giessen, Germany
| | - Monika Rinder
- 5 Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and ornamental Fish, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich , Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Dieter Thomas Tietze
- 6 Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University , Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Klaus-Jürgen Danner
- 7 State Institute for Chemical and Veterinary Analysis (CVUA) , Freiburg, Germany
| | - Norbert Becker
- 2 German Mosquito Control Association (KABS) Speyer , Germany
| | - Jasmin Skuballa
- 8 State Institute for Chemical and Veterinary Analysis (CVUA) , Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Hamann
- 9 Landesbetrieb Hessisches Landeslabor, Veterinary virology and molecular biology , Giessen, Germany
| | - Stefan Bosch
- 10 Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) Baden-Württemberg , Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Christine Fast
- 1 Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Eiden
- 1 Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit
- 11 Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) , Department of Virology, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin H Groschup
- 1 Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases , Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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García-Bocanegra I, Paniagua J, Gutiérrez-Guzmán AV, Lecollinet S, Boadella M, Arenas-Montes A, Cano-Terriza D, Lowenski S, Gortázar C, Höfle U. Spatio-temporal trends and risk factors affecting West Nile virus and related flavivirus exposure in Spanish wild ruminants. BMC Vet Res 2016; 12:249. [PMID: 27829427 PMCID: PMC5103426 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-016-0876-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background During the last decade, the spread of many flaviviruses (Genus Flavivirus) has been reported, representing an emerging threat for both animal and human health. To further study utility of wild ruminant samples in West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance, we assessed spatio–temporal trends and factors associated with WNV and cross-reacting flaviviruses exposure, particularly Usutu virus (USUV) and Meaban virus (MBV), in wild ruminants in Spain. Serum samples from 4693 wild ruminants, including 3073 free-living red deer (Cervus elaphus), 201 fallow deer (Dama dama), 125 mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), 32 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 1262 farmed red deer collected in 2003–2014, were screened for WNV and antigenically-related flavivirus antibodies using a blocking ELISA (bELISA). Positive samples were tested for neutralizing antibodies against WNV, USUV and MBV by virus micro-neutralization tests. Results Mean flavivirus seroprevalence according to bELISA was 3.4 ± 0.5 % in red deer, 1.0 ± 1.4 % in fallow deer, 2.4 ± 2.7 % in mouflon and 0 % in roe deer. A multivariate logistic regression model revealed as main risk factors for seropositivity in red deer; year (2011), the specific south-coastal bioregion (bioregion 5) and presence of wetlands. Red deer had neutralizing antibodies against WNV, USUV and MBV. Conclusions The results indicate endemic circulation of WNV, USUV and MBV in Spanish red deer, even in areas without known flavivirus outbreaks. WNV antibodies detected in a free-living red deer yearling sampled in 2010, confirmed circulation this year. Co-circulation of WNV and USUV was detected in bioregions 3 and 5, and of WNV and MBV in bioregion 3. Sampling of hunted and farmed wild ruminants, specifically of red deer yearlings, could be a complementary way to national surveillance programs to monitor the activity of emerging flaviviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio García-Bocanegra
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba-Agrifood Excellence International Campus (ceiA3), Rabanales, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Jorge Paniagua
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba-Agrifood Excellence International Campus (ceiA3), Rabanales, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Ana V Gutiérrez-Guzmán
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sylvie Lecollinet
- ANSES, Laboratoire de Santé Animale de Maisons-Alfort, UMR 1161 Virologie, INRA, ANSES, ENVA, Maisons-Alfort, F-94703, France
| | - Mariana Boadella
- Sabiotec, Camino de Moledores s.n., Ed. Polivalente UCLM, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Antonio Arenas-Montes
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba-Agrifood Excellence International Campus (ceiA3), Rabanales, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - David Cano-Terriza
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba-Agrifood Excellence International Campus (ceiA3), Rabanales, 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Steeve Lowenski
- ANSES, Laboratoire de Santé Animale de Maisons-Alfort, UMR 1161 Virologie, INRA, ANSES, ENVA, Maisons-Alfort, F-94703, France
| | - Christian Gortázar
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Ursula Höfle
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain.
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46
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Smith DR. Waiting in the wings: The potential of mosquito transmitted flaviviruses to emerge. Crit Rev Microbiol 2016; 43:405-422. [PMID: 27800692 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2016.1230974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The sudden dramatic emergence of the mosquito transmitted flavivirus Zika virus has bought to the world's attention a relatively obscure virus that was previously only known to specialist researchers. The genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae contains a number of well-known mosquito transmitted human pathogenic viruses including the dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and West Nile viruses. However, the genus also contains a number of lesser known human pathogenic viruses transmitted by mosquitoes including Wesselsbron virus, Ilheus virus, St. Louis encephalitis virus and Usutu virus. This review summarizes our knowledge of these lesser known mosquito transmitted flaviviruses and highlights their potential to emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan R Smith
- a Institute of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Emerging and Neglected Infectious Diseases, Mahidol University , Thailand
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47
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Monitoring of West Nile virus, Usutu virus and Meaban virus in waterfowl used as decoys and wild raptors in southern Spain. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2016; 49:58-64. [PMID: 27865265 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2016.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade, the number of emerging flaviviruses described worldwide has increased considerably, with wild birds acting as the main reservoir hosts of these viruses. We carried out an epidemiological survey to determine the seroprevalence of antigenically related flaviviruses, particularly West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV) and Meaban virus (MBV), in waterfowl used as decoys and wild raptors in Andalusia (southern Spain), the region considered to have the highest risk of flaviviruses circulation in Spain. The overall flaviviruses seroprevalence according to bELISA was 13.0% in both in decoys (n=1052) and wild raptors (n=123). Specific antibodies against WNV, USUV and MBV were confirmed by micro virus neutralization tests in 12, 38 and 4 of the seropositive decoys, respectively. This is the first study on WNV and USUV infections in decoys and the first report of MBV infections in waterfowl and raptors. Moreover we report the first description of WNV infections in short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus) and Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus). The seropositivity obtained indicates widespread but not homogeneous distribution of WNV and USUV in Andalusia. The results also confirm endemic circulation of WNV, USUV and MBV in both decoys and wild raptors in southern Spain. Our results highlight the need to implement surveillance and control programs not only for WNV but also for other related flaviviruses. Further research is needed to determine the eco-epidemiological role that waterfowl and wild raptors play in the transmission of emerging flaviviruses, especially in decoys, given their close interactions with humans.
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48
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Barr KL, Anderson BD, Prakoso D, Long MT. Working with Zika and Usutu Viruses In Vitro. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004931. [PMID: 27541001 PMCID: PMC4991799 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Usutu (USUV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses are emerging arboviruses of significant medical and veterinary importance. These viruses have not been studied as well as other medically important arboviruses such as West Nile (WNV), dengue (DENV), or chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses. As such, information regarding the behavior of ZIKV and USUV viruses in the laboratory is dated. Usutu virus re-emerged in Austria in 2001 and has since spread throughout the European and Asian continents causing significant mortality among birds. Zika virus has recently appeared in the Western Hemisphere and has exhibited high rates of birth defects and sexual transmission. Information about the characteristics of USUV and ZIKV viruses are needed to better understand the transmission, dispersal, and adaptation of these viruses in new environments. Since their initial characterization in the middle of last century, technologies and reagents have been developed that could enhance our abilities to study these pathogens. Currently, standard laboratory methods for these viruses are limited to 2–3 cell lines and many assays take several days to generate meaningful data. The goal of this study was to characterize these viruses in cells from multiple diverse species. Cell lines from 17 species were permissive to both ZIKV and USUV. These viruses were able to replicate to significant titers in most of the cell lines tested. Moreover, cytopathic effects were observed in 8 of the cell lines tested. These data indicate that a variety of cell lines can be used to study ZIKV and USUV infection and may provide an updated foundation for the study of host-pathogen interactions, model development, and the development of therapeutics. Usutu and Zika viruses are arboviruses of significant medical and veterinary outbreaks in recent years. Currently, standard laboratory methods for these viruses are limited to 2–3 cell lines. Here, our studies demonstrate that Zika and Usutu viruses are able to replicate in cells from a wide range of animal cell lines. The data will allow for further study of the potential for evolution of these viruses in other hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli L. Barr
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Benjamin D. Anderson
- Division of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine and Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Dhani Prakoso
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Maureen T. Long
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
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49
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Ziegler U, Fast C, Eiden M, Bock S, Schulze C, Hoeper D, Ochs A, Schlieben P, Keller M, Zielke DE, Luehken R, Cadar D, Walther D, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Groschup MH. Evidence for an independent third Usutu virus introduction into Germany. Vet Microbiol 2016; 192:60-66. [PMID: 27527765 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2016.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV) is an arbovirus within the genus flavivirus, which was first introduced to Southern Europe approximately twenty years ago causing epizootics among wild and captive birds. In Germany USUV was initially discovered in wild birds, mainly Common blackbirds (Turdus merula), in the Upper Rhine valley in southwest of the country in 2011 and has not spread much northwards since. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the still ongoing USUV epidemic is caused by two different USUV strains, USUV-Germany belonging to the USUV Europe 3 lineage and USUV-Bonn belonging to the USUV Africa 3 lineage. The two strains were introduced independently. In August 2015 a new USUV strain, named USUV-Berlin, was isolated in Vero cells from two carcasses of juvenile Great grey owls (Strix nebulosa) kept in the Zoological Garden Berlin, which had suffered from a hyperacute fatal systemic infection. Both owls carried high USUV genome loads. Full-length USUV genomes sequences were determined and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a close relationship with a Spanish mosquito-derived sequence from 2006. Immunohistochemical antigen detection in organ samples of the owls showed the typical USUV infection patterns. According to the phylogenetic analysis, USUV-Berlin belongs to the Africa 2 lineage, and can thus be distinguished from the other strains circulating in Germany. Repeated findings of different USUV strains suggest more frequent introductions into Central Europe and a higher mobility of this virus than assumed to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Ziegler
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christine Fast
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Eiden
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Sabine Bock
- Berlin-Brandenburg, State Laboratory, Gerhard-Neumann-Str. 2, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - Christoph Schulze
- Berlin-Brandenburg, State Laboratory, Gerhard-Neumann-Str. 2, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - Dirk Hoeper
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Andreas Ochs
- Zoological Garden Berlin AG, Hardenbergplatz 8, 10787 Berlin, Germany
| | - Patricia Schlieben
- Berlin-Brandenburg, State Laboratory, Gerhard-Neumann-Str. 2, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
| | - Markus Keller
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Dorothee E Zielke
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Renke Luehken
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Cadar
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Doreen Walther
- Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Institute of Land Use Systems, Eberswalder Straße 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit
- Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Hemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Luebeck-Borstel, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin H Groschup
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
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50
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Reconstruction of the Evolutionary History and Dispersal of Usutu Virus, a Neglected Emerging Arbovirus in Europe and Africa. mBio 2016; 7:e01938-15. [PMID: 26838717 PMCID: PMC4742707 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01938-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV), one of the most neglected Old World encephalitic flaviviruses, causes epizootics among wild and captive birds and sporadic infection in humans. The dynamics of USUV spread and evolution in its natural hosts are unknown. Here, we present the phylogeny and evolutionary history of all available USUV strains, including 77 newly sequenced complete genomes from a variety of host species at a temporal and spatial scaled resolution. The results showed that USUV can be classified into six distinct lineages and that the most recent common ancestor of the recent European epizootics emerged in Africa at least 500 years ago. We demonstrated that USUV was introduced regularly from Africa into Europe in the last 50 years, and the genetic diversity of European lineages is shaped primarily by in situ evolution, while the African lineages have been driven by extensive gene flow. Most of the amino acid changes are deleterious polymorphisms removed by purifying selection, with adaptive evolution restricted to the NS5 gene and several others evolving under episodic directional selection, indicating that the ecological or immunological factors were mostly the key determinants of USUV dispersal and outbreaks. Host-specific mutations have been detected, while the host transition analysis identified mosquitoes as the most likely origin of the common ancestor and birds as the source of the recent European USUV lineages. Our results suggest that the major migratory bird flyways could predict the continental and intercontinental dispersal patterns of USUV and that migratory birds might act as potential long-distance dispersal vehicles. Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus of the Japanese encephalitis virus antigenic group, caused massive bird die-offs, mostly in Europe. There is increasing evidence that USUV appears to be pathogenic for humans, becoming a potential public health problem. The emergence of USUV in Europe allows us to understand how an arbovirus spreads, adapts, and evolves in a naive environment. Thus, understanding the epidemiological and evolutionary processes that contribute to the emergence, maintenance, and further spread of viral diseases is the sine qua non to develop and implement surveillance strategies for their control. In this work, we performed an expansive phylogeographic and evolutionary analysis of USUV using all published sequences and those generated during this study. Subsequently, we described the genetic traits, reconstructed the potential pattern of geographic spread between continents/countries of the identified viral lineages and the drivers of viral migration, and traced the origin of outbreaks and transition events between different hosts.
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