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Estimation du risque d’introduction du virus de la fièvre de la vallée du Rift en Tunisie par le moustique Culex pipiens

Assessment of the risk of introduction to Tunisia of the Rift Valley fever virus by the mosquito Culex pipiens

  • Épidémiologie / Epidemiology
  • Published:
Bulletin de la Société de pathologie exotique

Résumé

Le moustique Culex pipiens a été impliqué dans la transmission du virus West Nile en Tunisie. Les caractéristiques bioécologiques de l’espèce ainsi que certains facteurs environnementaux ont favorisé l’émergence de ce virus dans une région jusqu’alors indemne. Ce scénario fait craindre l’émergence d’autres arbovirus dont le virus de la fièvre de la vallée du Rift (FVR) qui affecte principalement les petits ruminants. La proximité de pays où circule le virus de la FVR avec lesquels la Tunisie entretient le commerce d’animaux n’est pas sans risque. Pour mesurer le risque potentiel d’introduction du virus de la FVR en Tunisie, différents aspects ont été étudiés : la compétence vectorielle des populations de Cx. pipiens et leur niveau de différenciation génétique. Nous avons mis en évidence une compétence vectorielle faible vis-à-vis du virus de la FVR et une différenciation forte entre populations témoignant d’une faible capacité de dispersion de l’espèce. Ainsi, nous concluons que même si le virus de la FVR était introduit, l’amplification virale dans le vecteur Cx. pipiens, tout en étant possible, ne serait pas associée à une dissémination du virus par l’intermédiaire du moustique. Toutefois, le caractère émergent du virus de la FVR et la présence d’autres espèces potentiellement vectrices (e.g. Ochlerotatus caspius) doivent imposer le maintien et même le renforcement des surveillances zoosanitaire et entomologique afin de limiter le risque d’introduction et de circulation du virus de la FVR en Tunisie.

Abstract

The mosquito Culex pipiens has been involved as vector of the West Nile virus in Tunisia. Its bio-ecological characteristics in combination with some environmental factors have favoured the emergence of this virus in a West-Nile free zone. This leads to question about the potential risk of introducing another arbovirus, the Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus, in Tunisia from neighbouring countries where RVF circulates. In this study, we have evaluated the vector competence of different populations of Cx. pipiens towards two strains of RVF virus, the virulent ZH548 and the avirulent Clone 13 by experimental infections and the genetic differentiation of these populations of Cx. pipiens using four microsatellite loci. We found disseminated infection rates ranging from 0% to 14.7% and a high genetic differentiation among populations without any geographical pattern (no isolation by distance). Thus, although Cx. pipiens is able to sustain an amplification of RVF virus, viral dissemination through mosquito dispersal would be unlikely. However, as RVF is an emerging disease transmitted by several other potential mosquito species (e.g. Ochlerotatus caspius), attention should be maintained to survey livestock and mosquitoes in Tunisia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Pasteur de Tunis, service d’entomologie médicale, 13, Place Pasteur, BP 74, 1002, Tunis Belvédère, Tunisie

    G. Krida, A. Bouattour & A. Rhim

  2. Institut national agronomique de Tunisie, 43, avenue Charles-Nicolle, 1082, Tunis Mahrajène, Tunisie

    G. Krida

  3. Institut Pasteur, plateforme génotypage des pathogènes et santé publique, 25-28, rue du Docteur-Roux, F-75724, Paris cedex 15, France

    L. Diancourt

  4. Institut supérieur agronomique de Chott-Mariem, BP 47, 4042, Chott Mériem, Sousse, Tunisie

    B. Chermiti

  5. Institut Pasteur, unité de génétique moléculaire des Bunyavirus, 25-28, rue du Docteur-Roux, F-75724, Paris cedex 15, France

    A. -B. Failloux

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  1. G. Krida
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  2. L. Diancourt
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  3. A. Bouattour
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  4. A. Rhim
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  6. A. -B. Failloux
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Correspondence to A. -B. Failloux.

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Krida, G., Diancourt, L., Bouattour, A. et al. Estimation du risque d’introduction du virus de la fièvre de la vallée du Rift en Tunisie par le moustique Culex pipiens . Bull. Soc. Pathol. Exot. 104, 250–259 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13149-010-0122-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13149-010-0122-4

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