Circulation of Zoonotic Arboviruses in Equine Populations of Mallorca Island (Spain).
Abstract: The presence of major arbovirus vector species, climate change that promotes the expansion and increase of their populations, and potential animal reservoirs mean that vector-borne diseases represent a significant health risk for Mallorca's inhabitants. Microbiological monitoring of circulating arboviruses, particularly flaviviruses causing encephalitis, was initiated using domestic horses from localities near wetlands as "sentinel" hosts. A total of 291 blood samples were taken from 172 horses between 2011 and 2012, using paired samples to highlight seroconversion events. A multiplex immunoassay and confirmatory reference serological assays were used to screen sera for immunoglobulin G antibodies against West Nile (WNV), Usutu (USUV), and tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV) viruses. The seroprevalence was 6.4% (confidence interval [95% CI] 3.2%-11.0%) for WNV, 1.2% (95% CI 0.1%-4.1%) for USUV, and 0.6% (95% CI 0.0%-3.2%) for TBEV. In addition, eight horses (4.6%; 95% CI 2.0%-8.9%) were found positive for unidentified flaviviruses. Seroconversion events were detected for WNV and USUV, reflecting recent arboviral infections. These results highlight the active transmission of zoonotic arboviruses in Mallorca wetlands.
Publication Date: 2017-03-27 PubMed ID: 28346868DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.2042Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Animal Health
- Animal Science
- Arboviruses
- Climate
- Disease Prevalence
- Disease Surveillance
- Encephalitis
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Immunoglobulin G
- Mosquito-borne Diseases
- Public Health
- Serological Surveys
- Seroprevalence
- Tick-Borne Diseases
- Vector-borne disease
- Veterinary Science
- West Nile Virus
- Zoonotic Diseases
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research study indicates that zoonotic arboviruses, which are diseases transmitted from animals to humans, are actively transmitting in horses residing near wetlands in Mallorca, Spain. Surveillance of local horse populations found antibodies for West Nile (WNV), Usutu (USUV), and tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV) viruses, exposing a potential public health risk for the island’s inhabitants.
Objective and Methodology
- The study focussed on the presence of zoonotic arboviruses in the equine population in Mallorca, Spain and gauged the potential health risk it posed to the local human population.
- Microbiological surveillance was conducted on horses, especially those residing near wetlands, as they were considered “sentinel” hosts; animals used to detect risks to humans from zoonoses – diseases transferable from animals to humans.
- The researchers collected 291 blood samples from 172 horses during 2011 and 2012 to monitor circulating arboviruses and identify seroconversion events which signal a recent infection and subsequent immune response.
Results and Analysis
- Horses’ blood was screened for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against WNV, USUV, and TBEV using a multiplex immunoassay and confirmatory reference serological assays. The presence of IgG antibodies indicates previous exposure to these viruses.
- The study found positive results, indicating the active transmission of zoonotic arboviruses in Mallorca. The seroprevalence was 6.4% for WNV, 1.2% for USUV, and 0.6% for TBEV, reflecting recent arboviral infections.
- Also, eight horses were found to test positive for unidentified flaviviruses, a category which these arboviruses fall under.
Conclusion and Significance
- Given the findings, it was concluded that zoonotic arboviruses are in active transmission in the wetlands of Mallorca, thus posing a potential health risk to people in the region.
- Monitoring the disease prevalence in sentinel hosts, such as horses in this instance, can provide valuable information regarding the potential threat to human populations, especially in areas prone to the transmission of vector-borne diseases.
Cite This Article
APA
Vanhomwegen J, Beck C, Desprès P, Figuerola A, García R, Lecollinet S, López-Roig M, Manuguerra JC, Serra-Cobo J.
(2017).
Circulation of Zoonotic Arboviruses in Equine Populations of Mallorca Island (Spain).
Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis, 17(5), 340-346.
https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2016.2042 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- 1 Environment and Infectious Risks Research and Expertise Unit, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Institut Pasteur , Paris, France .
- 2 UMR 1161 Virology, ANSES, INRA, ENVA, ANSES Animal Health Laboratory , EU-RL on Equine Diseases, UPE, Maisons-Alfort, France .
- 3 UMR PIMIT (12T) Université de La Réunion , INSERM U1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, GIP-CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, France .
- 4 Col·legi Oficial de Veterinaris de les Illes Balears , Mallorca, Spain .
- 4 Col·legi Oficial de Veterinaris de les Illes Balears , Mallorca, Spain .
- 2 UMR 1161 Virology, ANSES, INRA, ENVA, ANSES Animal Health Laboratory , EU-RL on Equine Diseases, UPE, Maisons-Alfort, France .
- 5 Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, IRBIO, Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona, Spain .
- 6 Centre de Recerca en Infeccions Víriques , Illes Balears (CRIVIB), Conselleria de Salut i Consum, Govern de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, Spain .
- 1 Environment and Infectious Risks Research and Expertise Unit, Department of Infection and Epidemiology, Institut Pasteur , Paris, France .
- 5 Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, IRBIO, Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona, Spain .
- 6 Centre de Recerca en Infeccions Víriques , Illes Balears (CRIVIB), Conselleria de Salut i Consum, Govern de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, Spain .
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arbovirus Infections / epidemiology
- Arbovirus Infections / veterinary
- Arbovirus Infections / virology
- Arboviruses / isolation & purification
- Female
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Male
- Sentinel Surveillance
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Spain / epidemiology
- Zoonoses
Citations
This article has been cited 16 times.- M'ghirbi Y, Mousson L, Moutailler S, Lecollinet S, Amaral R, Beck C, Aounallah H, Amara M, Chabchoub A, Rhim A, Failloux AB, Bouattour A. West Nile, Sindbis and Usutu Viruses: Evidence of Circulation in Mosquitoes and Horses in Tunisia.. Pathogens 2023 Feb 21;12(3).
- Trozzi G, Adjadj NR, Vervaeke M, Matthijs S, Sohier C, De Regge N. Comparison of Serological Methods for Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus-Specific Antibody Detection in Wild Boar and Sheep: Impact of the Screening Approach on the Estimated Seroprevalence.. Viruses 2023 Feb 6;15(2).
- 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 Nov;69(6):3624-3636.
- Magouras I, Schoster A, Fouché N, Gerber V, Groschup MH, Ziegler U, Fricker R, Griot C, Vögtlin A. Neurological disease suspected to be caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus infection in 6 horses in Switzerland.. J Vet Intern Med 2022 Nov;36(6):2254-2262.
- Auerswald H, Eng C, Lay S, In S, Eng S, Vo HTM, Sith C, Cheng S, Delvallez G, Mich V, Meng N, Sovann L, Sidonn K, Vanhomwegen J, Cantaert T, Dussart P, Duong V, Karlsson EA. Rapid Generation of In-House Serological Assays Is Comparable to Commercial Kits Critical for Early Response to Pandemics: A Case With SARS-CoV-2.. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022;9:864972.
- 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 Nov 30;13(12).
- de Heus P, Kolodziejek J, Hubálek Z, Dimmel K, Racher V, Nowotny N, Cavalleri JV. West Nile Virus and Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Are Endemic in Equids in Eastern Austria.. Viruses 2021 Sep 19;13(9).
- 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.. Euro Surveill 2021 May;26(19).
- Albrieu-Llinás G, Gallardo R, Konigheim BS, Quaglia AI, Mariño B, Curiotti J, Mazzini R, Contigiani MS. Arbovirus serosurvey (Orthobunyavirus, Flavivirus, and Alphavirus) in a draft horse population from Santa Fe, Argentina (2013-2016).. Arch Virol 2021 Mar;166(3):881-884.
- Benzarti E, Garigliany M. In Vitro and In Vivo Models to Study the Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Usutu Virus.. Viruses 2020 Sep 30;12(10).
- 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 Aug 26;9(9).
- 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.
- 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 Dec 19;12(1).
- Roesch F, Fajardo A, Moratorio G, Vignuzzi M. Usutu Virus: An Arbovirus on the Rise.. Viruses 2019 Jul 12;11(7).
- Diagne MM, Ndione MHD, Di Paola N, Fall G, Bedekelabou AP, Sembène PM, Faye O, Zanotto PMA, Sall AA. Usutu Virus Isolated from Rodents in Senegal.. Viruses 2019 Feb 21;11(2).
- Beck C, Leparc-Goffart I, Desoutter D, Debergé E, Bichet H, Lowenski S, Dumarest M, Gonzalez G, Migné C, Vanhomwegen J, Zientara S, Durand B, Lecollinet S. Serological evidence of infection with dengue and Zika viruses in horses on French Pacific Islands.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 Feb;13(2):e0007162.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
