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Ogola EO, Bastos ADS, Slothouwer I, Getugi C, Osalla J, Omoga DCA, Ondifu DO, Sang R, Torto B, Junglen S, Tchouassi DP. Viral diversity and blood-feeding patterns of Afrotropical Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1325473. [PMID: 38249470 PMCID: PMC10797016 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1325473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are vectors of arboviral pathogens that primarily affect livestock represented by Schmallenberg virus (SBV), epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) and bluetongue virus (BTV). In Kenya, studies examining the bionomic features of Culicoides including species diversity, blood-feeding habits, and association with viruses are limited. Methods Adult Culicoides were surveyed using CDC light traps in two semi-arid ecologies, Baringo and Kajiado counties, in Kenya. Blood-fed specimens were analysed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) barcoding region. Culicoides pools were screened for virus infection by generic RT-PCR and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Results Analysis of blood-fed specimens confirmed that midges had fed on cattle, goats, sheep, zebra, and birds. Cox1 barcoding of the sampled specimens revealed the presence of known vectors of BTV and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) including species in the Imicola group (Culicoides imicola) and Schultzei group (C. enderleni, C. kingi, and C. chultzei). Culicoides leucostictus and a cryptic species distantly related to the Imicola group were also identified. Screening of generated pools (11,006 individuals assigned to 333 pools) by generic RT-PCR revealed presence of seven phylogenetically distinct viruses grouping in the genera Goukovirus, Pacuvirus and Orthobunyavirus. The viruses showed an overall minimum infection rate (MIR) of 7.0% (66/333, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.5-8.9). In addition, full coding sequences of two new iflaviruses, tentatively named Oloisinyai_1 and Oloisinyai_2, were generated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) from individual homogenate of Culicoides pool. Conclusion The results indicate a high genetic diversity of viruses in Kenyan biting midges. Further insights into host-vector-virus interactions as well as investigations on the potential clinical significance of the detected viruses are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin O. Ogola
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Armanda D. S. Bastos
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Inga Slothouwer
- Institute of Virology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Free University Berlin, Humboldt-University Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Caroline Getugi
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Josephine Osalla
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dorcus C. A. Omoga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dickens O. Ondifu
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Rosemary Sang
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Baldwyn Torto
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sandra Junglen
- Institute of Virology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Free University Berlin, Humboldt-University Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - David P. Tchouassi
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
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Ogola EO, Kopp A, Bastos ADS, Slothouwer I, Marklewitz M, Omoga D, Rotich G, Getugi C, Sang R, Torto B, Junglen S, Tchouassi DP. Jingmen Tick Virus in Ticks from Kenya. Viruses 2022; 14:1041. [PMID: 35632782 PMCID: PMC9147648 DOI: 10.3390/v14051041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) is an arbovirus with a multisegmented genome related to those of unsegmented flaviviruses. The virus first described in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks collected in Jingmen city (Hubei Province, China) in 2010 is associated with febrile illness in humans. Since then, the geographic range has expanded to include Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, and Uganda. However, the ecology of JMTV remains poorly described in Africa. We screened adult ticks (n = 4550, 718 pools) for JMTV infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Ticks were collected from cattle (n = 859, 18.88%), goats (n = 2070, 45.49%), sheep (n = 1574, 34.59%), and free-ranging tortoises (Leopard tortoise, Stigmochelys pardalis) (n = 47, 1.03%) in two Kenyan pastoralist-dominated areas (Baringo and Kajiado counties) with a history of undiagnosed febrile human illness. Surprisingly, ticks collected from goats (0.3%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1-0.5), sheep (1.8%, 95% CI 1.2-2.5), and tortoise (74.5%, 95% CI 60.9-85.4, were found infected with JMTV, but ticks collected from cattle were all negative. JMTV ribonucleic acid (RNA) was also detected in blood from tortoises (66.7%, 95% CI 16.1-97.7). Intragenetic distance of JMTV sequences originating from tortoise-associated ticks was greater than that of sheep-associated ticks. Phylogenetic analyses of seven complete-coding genome sequences generated from tortoise-associated ticks formed a monophyletic clade within JMTV strains from other countries. In summary, our findings confirm the circulation of JMTV in ticks in Kenya. Further epidemiological surveys are needed to assess the potential public health impact of JMTV in Kenya.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin O. Ogola
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi P.O. Box 30772-00100, Kenya; (E.O.O.); (D.O.); (G.R.); (C.G.); (R.S.); (B.T.)
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag 20, Pretoria 0028, South Africa;
| | - Anne Kopp
- Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Virology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Free University Berlin, Humboldt-University Berlin, Chariteplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (I.S.); (M.M.)
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Associated Partner Site Charité, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Armanda D. S. Bastos
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag 20, Pretoria 0028, South Africa;
| | - Inga Slothouwer
- Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Virology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Free University Berlin, Humboldt-University Berlin, Chariteplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (I.S.); (M.M.)
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Associated Partner Site Charité, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marco Marklewitz
- Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Virology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Free University Berlin, Humboldt-University Berlin, Chariteplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (I.S.); (M.M.)
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Associated Partner Site Charité, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dorcus Omoga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi P.O. Box 30772-00100, Kenya; (E.O.O.); (D.O.); (G.R.); (C.G.); (R.S.); (B.T.)
| | - Gilbert Rotich
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi P.O. Box 30772-00100, Kenya; (E.O.O.); (D.O.); (G.R.); (C.G.); (R.S.); (B.T.)
| | - Caroline Getugi
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi P.O. Box 30772-00100, Kenya; (E.O.O.); (D.O.); (G.R.); (C.G.); (R.S.); (B.T.)
| | - Rosemary Sang
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi P.O. Box 30772-00100, Kenya; (E.O.O.); (D.O.); (G.R.); (C.G.); (R.S.); (B.T.)
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Off Raila Odinga Way, Nairobi P.O. Box 54840-00200, Kenya
| | - Baldwyn Torto
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi P.O. Box 30772-00100, Kenya; (E.O.O.); (D.O.); (G.R.); (C.G.); (R.S.); (B.T.)
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag 20, Pretoria 0028, South Africa;
| | - Sandra Junglen
- Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Virology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Free University Berlin, Humboldt-University Berlin, Chariteplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (A.K.); (I.S.); (M.M.)
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Associated Partner Site Charité, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - David P. Tchouassi
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi P.O. Box 30772-00100, Kenya; (E.O.O.); (D.O.); (G.R.); (C.G.); (R.S.); (B.T.)
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