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Home / Equine Research Bank / Transbound Emerg Dis / Genetic characterization of West Nile Virus strains during n...
Transboundary and emerging diseases2020; 68(4); 2414-2421; doi: 10.1111/tbed.13905

Genetic characterization of West Nile Virus strains during neuroinvasives infection outbreak in Tunisia, 2018.

Abstract: West Nile Virus (WNV) is an arbovirus transmitted by mosquito bite involving birds as reservoirs, humans and equines as accidental hosts. Eight distinct lineages (WNV-1 to WNV-8) have been identified: WNV-1 and WNV-2 infect humans and animals, and WNV-3 to WNV-8 have been identified only in vectors. WNV has been implicated in neuroinvasives infections, especially meningitis and encephalitis. Tunisia experienced three epidemics in 1997, 2003 and 2012. Serological studies on humans, equines and birds as well as the detection of the virus in the vector favour a fairly frequent circulation in the country. A new epidemic has been observed in Tunisia between August and November 2018. The obtained sequences of the VWN from Tunisia 2018 grouped in a distinct monophyletic group within the Mediterranean subtype in Cluster 1, with a maximum of 2% nucleotide divergence. These sequences were clearly distinct from the Tunisia 1997, which grouped with sequences mainly from USA in Cluster 2. This work reports the genetic characterization of the Tunisia 2018 strain in comparison with the previously identified strains in Tunisia and worldwide. The epidemic virus Tunisia 2018 was genetically close to the Mediterranean basin and Eastern Europe sequences but distinct from the Tunisia 1997 closely related to the American sequences.
© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
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Publication Date: 2020-11-17 PubMed ID: 33128297DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13905Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research article focuses on the genetic characterization of different strains of West Nile Virus (WNV) during a neuroinvasive infection outbreak in Tunisia in 2018.

Overview of West Nile Virus

  • The study describes West Nile Virus (WNV) as an arbovirus, which is primarily transmitted through mosquito bites. Birds act as the main reservoirs, while humans and equines serve as accidental hosts.
  • So far, eight distinct lineages of the virus, labelled WNV-1 to WNV-8, have been identified. WNV-1 and WNV-2 have the capability to infect humans and animals. WNV-3 to WNV-8, on the other hand, appear to be specific to mosquito vectors.
  • In humans, WNV frequently leads to neuroinvasive infections, including dangerous conditions like meningitis and encephalitis.

Historical Context of WNV in Tunisia

  • The report notes that Tunisia has experienced three significant outbreaks of WNV in 1997, 2003, and 2012.
  • Serological studies – those involving the testing of blood serum for antibodies – have been carried out on humans, equines, and birds. The detection of the virus in various vectors suggests frequent circulation of WNV within the country.

Genetic Examination of the 2018 Strain

  • Drawing on the most recent outbreak in the country – between August and November 2018 – the researchers conducted a genetic examination of the specific WNV strain involved.
  • The genetic sequences obtained from this strain placed it within a unique monophyletic group within the Mediterranean subtype (Cluster 1), marked by a maximum of 2% variance in nucleotides.
  • Notably, this 2018 sequence stood distinct from the one from the 1997 Tunisia epidemic, which is more closely associated with sequences primarily from the USA (cluster 2).

Comparative Analysis of Different Strains

  • This study’s significant contribution is the genetic characterization of the 2018 Tunisia strain. This has facilitated a comparison with the strains identified in Tunisia’s previous WNV outbreaks and other regions worldwide.
  • Upon analysis, it was found that the 2018 Tunisia strain has significant genetic closeness to the WNV sequences commonly found in the Mediterranean basin and Eastern Europe.
  • In contrast, the 1997 Tunisia strain shared genetic similarities with the American sequences, separated from the 2018 strain.

Cite This Article

APA
Fares W, Gdoura M, Dhrif H, Touzi H, Hogga N, Hannachi N, Mhalla S, Kacem S, Karray H, Bougatef S, Ben-Alaya N, Triki H. (2020). Genetic characterization of West Nile Virus strains during neuroinvasives infection outbreak in Tunisia, 2018. Transbound Emerg Dis, 68(4), 2414-2421. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.13905

Publication

Transboundary and emerging diseases
ISSN: 1865-1682
NlmUniqueID: 101319538
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 68
Issue: 4
Pages: 2414-2421

Researcher Affiliations

Fares, Wasfi
  • Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Gdoura, Mariem
  • Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Dhrif, Haifa
  • Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Touzi, Henda
  • Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Hogga, Nahed
  • Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
Hannachi, Naila
  • Laboratory of Microbiology, CHU Farhat Hached, Sousse, Tunisia.
Mhalla, Salma
  • Laboratory of Microbiology, CHU Fattouma Bourguiba, Monastir, Tunisia.
Kacem, Saoussen
  • Laboratory of Microbiology, CHU Sahloul, Sousse, Tunisia.
Karray, Hela
  • Laboratory of Microbiology, CHU Habib Bourguiba, Sfax, Tunisia.
Bougatef, Souha
  • National Observatory for New and Emerging Diseases, Ministry of Health, Tunis, Tunisia.
Ben-Alaya, Nissaf
  • National Observatory for New and Emerging Diseases, Ministry of Health, Tunis, Tunisia.
  • Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis-El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Triki, Henda
  • Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia.
  • Faculty of Medicine, University Tunis-El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Birds
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Tunisia / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever / transmission
  • West Nile Fever / veterinary
  • West Nile virus / genetics

Grant Funding

  • Tunisian Ministry of High Education and Research

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