Environmental risk factors of West Nile virus infection of horses in the Senegal River basin.
Abstract: In 2005, a serological study was carried out on horses in five ecologically contrasted zones of the Senegal River basin (Senegal) to assess West Nile virus (WNV) transmission and investigate underlying environmental risk factors. In each study zone, horses were randomly selected and blood samples taken. A land-cover map of the five study areas was built using two satellite ETM+ images. Blood samples were screened by ELISA for anti-WNV IgM and IgG and positive samples were confirmed by seroneutralization. Environmental data were analysed using a principal components analysis. The overall IgG seroprevalence rate was 85% (n=367; 95% CI 0.81-0.89). The proximity to sea water, flooded banks and salted mudflats were identified as protective factors. These environmental components are unfavourable to the presence of Culex mosquitoes suggesting that in Senegal, the distribution of the vector species is more limiting for WNV transmission than for the hosts' distribution.
Publication Date: 2010-02-23 PubMed ID: 20175940DOI: 10.1017/S095026881000035XGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Antibodies
- Blood Analysis
- Disease Etiology
- Disease Prevalence
- Disease Transmission
- Environmental Stressors
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Immunoglobulin G
- Infectious Disease
- Mosquito-borne Diseases
- Principal Component Analysis
- Public Health
- Risk Factors
- Serology
- Seroprevalence
- Vector-borne disease
- Veterinary Science
- West Nile Virus
Summary
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This research investigated the environmental risk factors associated with West Nile virus infection in horses within the Senegal River basin in 2005. The study found a high seroprevalence rate and identified proximity to sea water, flooded banks, and salted mudflats as protective factors due to their unsuitability for Culex mosquitoes, the virus vector.
Study Overview and Methodology
- This study was conducted in 2005 with the intended aim of identifying environmental risk factors that promote the transmission of the West Nile virus (WNV) in horses in the Senegal River basin. This region was chosen due to its contrasting ecological zones, providing the researchers with diverse environmental conditions to study.
- The research involved randomly choosing horses from five ecological zones for blood sampling. Two satellite ETM+ images were used to construct a land-cover map of the study areas.
- To determine the presence of WNV, the blood samples were screened using the ELISA technique for WNV-specific IgM and IgG antibodies. Should the ELISA test result be positive, seroneutralization was performed to confirm the result.
Findings
- The research discovered that the overall IgG seroprevalence rate – an indicator of past exposure to the virus – was high, standing at 85% (with a 95% Confidence Interval of 0.81-0.89).
- Upon evaluating various environmental factors using principal components analysis, it was revealed that the proximity to certain geographical features like sea water, flooded banks, and salted mudflats served as protective, or reducing factors, against WNV infection.
Conclusions
- The researchers concluded that these environmental features are unsuitable habitats for the Culex mosquito – the known vector of WNV. This implies that the spread of the virus in the Senegal River basin is more constrained by the distribution of the mosquitos rather than by that of the host animals – horses in this case.
- This study provides important information about environmental risk factors associated with WNV transmission among horses in the Senegal River basin which could be used to establish control measures and strategic management plans against the spread of WNV.
Cite This Article
APA
Chevalier V, Dupressoir A, Tran A, Diop OM, Gottland C, Diallo M, Etter E, Ndiaye M, Grosbois V, Dia M, Gaidet N, Sall AA, Soti V, Niang M.
(2010).
Environmental risk factors of West Nile virus infection of horses in the Senegal River basin.
Epidemiol Infect, 138(11), 1601-1609.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S095026881000035X Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- CIRAD, UR Animal et Gestion Intégrée des Risques (AGIRs), Montpellier, France. chevalier@cirad.fr
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Viral / blood
- Culex / physiology
- Culex / virology
- Demography
- Ecosystem
- Environment
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Immunoglobulin G / blood
- Insect Vectors / physiology
- Insect Vectors / virology
- Risk Factors
- Rivers
- Senegal / epidemiology
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- West Nile Fever / epidemiology
- West Nile Fever / veterinary
- West Nile virus / immunology
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Gallon S, Sy M, Tonto PB, Ndiaye IM, Toure M, Gaye A, Aidara M, Mbaye AM, Dia AK, Diallo MA, Gomis JF, Yade MS, Diedhiou Y, Dieye B, Diongue K, Seck MC, Badiane AS, Ndiaye D, Herrera BB. Seropositivity to Dengue, Zika, Yellow Fever, and West Nile Viruses in Senegal, West Africa. J Med Virol 2025 Apr;97(4):e70338.
- Ndione MHD, Ndiaye EH, Faye M, Diagne MM, Diallo D, Diallo A, Sall AA, Loucoubar C, Faye O, Diallo M, Faye O, Barry MA, Fall G. Re-Introduction of West Nile Virus Lineage 1 in Senegal from Europe and Subsequent Circulation in Human and Mosquito Populations between 2012 and 2021. Viruses 2022 Dec 6;14(12).
- Mencattelli G, Ndione MHD, Rosà R, Marini G, Diagne CT, Diagne MM, Fall G, Faye O, Diallo M, Faye O, Savini G, Rizzoli A. Epidemiology of West Nile virus in Africa: An underestimated threat. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022 Jan;16(1):e0010075.
- Olufemi OT, Barba M, Daly JM. A Scoping Review of West Nile Virus Seroprevalence Studies among African Equids. Pathogens 2021 Jul 15;10(7).
- Chevalier V, Marsot M, Molia S, Rasamoelina H, Rakotondravao R, Pedrono M, Lowenski S, Durand B, Lecollinet S, Beck C. Serological Evidence of West Nile and Usutu Viruses Circulation in Domestic and Wild Birds in Wetlands of Mali and Madagascar in 2008. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 Mar 18;17(6).
- Fall G, Di Paola N, Faye M, Dia M, Freire CCM, Loucoubar C, Zanotto PMA, Faye O, Sall AA. Biological and phylogenetic characteristics of West African lineages of West Nile virus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017 Nov;11(11):e0006078.
- Tran A, L'Ambert G, Balança G, Pradier S, Grosbois V, Balenghien T, Baldet T, Lecollinet S, Leblond A, Gaidet-Drapier N. An Integrative Eco-Epidemiological Analysis of West Nile Virus Transmission. Ecohealth 2017 Sep;14(3):474-489.
- Durand B, Haskouri H, Lowenski S, Vachiery N, Beck C, Lecollinet S. Seroprevalence of West Nile and Usutu viruses in military working horses and dogs, Morocco, 2012: dog as an alternative WNV sentinel species?. Epidemiol Infect 2016 Jul;144(9):1857-64.
- Fall G, Diallo M, Loucoubar C, Faye O, Sall AA. Vector competence of Culex neavei and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) from Senegal for lineages 1, 2, Koutango and a putative new lineage of West Nile virus. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2014 Apr;90(4):747-54.
- Fall AG, Diaïté A, Seck MT, Bouyer J, Lefrançois T, Vachiéry N, Aprelon R, Faye O, Konaté L, Lancelot R. West Nile virus transmission in sentinel chickens and potential mosquito vectors, Senegal River Delta, 2008-2009. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013 Oct 1;10(10):4718-27.
- Hausermann H, Tschakert P, Smithwick EA, Ferring D, Amankwah R, Klutse E, Hagarty J, Kromel L. Contours of risk: spatializing human behaviors to understand disease dynamics in changing landscapes. Ecohealth 2012 Sep;9(3):251-5.
- Fall AG, Diaïté A, Lancelot R, Tran A, Soti V, Etter E, Konaté L, Faye O, Bouyer J. Feeding behaviour of potential vectors of West Nile virus in Senegal. Parasit Vectors 2011 Jun 8;4:99.
- Lambin EF, Tran A, Vanwambeke SO, Linard C, Soti V. Pathogenic landscapes: interactions between land, people, disease vectors, and their animal hosts. Int J Health Geogr 2010 Oct 27;9:54.
- Durand B, Balança G, Baldet T, Chevalier V. A metapopulation model to simulate West Nile virus circulation in Western Africa, Southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin. Vet Res 2010 May-Jun;41(3):32.
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