First isolation of West Nile virus in Zambia from mosquitoes.
Transbound Emerg Dis 2018;
65:933-938. [PMID:
29722174 DOI:
10.1111/tbed.12888]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Mosquito surveillance studies to identify mosquito-borne flaviviruses have identified West Nile Virus (WNV) for the first time in Zambia. The Zambian WNV isolate from Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes collected in the Western Province was closely related genetically to WNV lineage 2 South African strains which have been previously shown to be highly neuroinvasive. These data provide the first evidence of the circulation of WNV in Zambia and suggest there should be an increased awareness of possible associated human and animal diseases in that country.
Collapse