Epidemiology of Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses in North Africa: An Overview

Eight sandfly-borne phleboviruses were found to circulate in North Africa. Phleboviruses detected in sandflies were Toscana (TOSV), Sandfly Fever Sicilian (SFSV), Sandfly Fever Naples (SFNV), Cyprus (CYPV), Punique (PUNV), Utique, Saddaguia, and Medjerda Valley (MVV) viruses, yielding an overall inf...

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Main Authors: Sabrina Sellali, Ismail Lafri, Rafik Garni, Hemza Manseur, Mohamed Besbaci, Mohamed Lafri, Idir Bitam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Insects
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/11/846
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author Sabrina Sellali
Ismail Lafri
Rafik Garni
Hemza Manseur
Mohamed Besbaci
Mohamed Lafri
Idir Bitam
author_facet Sabrina Sellali
Ismail Lafri
Rafik Garni
Hemza Manseur
Mohamed Besbaci
Mohamed Lafri
Idir Bitam
author_sort Sabrina Sellali
collection DOAJ
description Eight sandfly-borne phleboviruses were found to circulate in North Africa. Phleboviruses detected in sandflies were Toscana (TOSV), Sandfly Fever Sicilian (SFSV), Sandfly Fever Naples (SFNV), Cyprus (CYPV), Punique (PUNV), Utique, Saddaguia, and Medjerda Valley (MVV) viruses, yielding an overall infection rate of 0.02–0.6%. <i>Phlebotomus perniciosus</i> and <i>Phlebotomus longicuspis</i> were the most common vector species in the region. TOSV seroprevalence in dogs from Algeria (4.56%) and Tunisia (7.5%) was low and close, unlike SFSV (38.1%) and PUNV (43.5%), which were restricted to Tunisia. SFSV (1.3–21%) and TOSV (3.8–50%) were the most prevalent among humans. TOSV was frequently detected and symptomatically confirmed in both Algeria (3.8%) and Tunisia (12.86%). Other sandfly-borne phleboviruses have also been detected but less importantly, such as SFNV in Morocco (2.9%) and Tunisia (1.1%) and PUNV (8.72%), CYPV (2.9%), and MVV (1.35%) in Tunisia. Their distribution was mainly northern. Overall, 15.9% of the healthy population were seropositive for sandfly-borne phleboviruses, with evidenced cocirculation. Noticeably, studies conducted in Morocco were mostly interested in TOSV in sandflies. Available data from Libya and Egypt were scant or historical. Further elaboration is required to check the sporadic detection of less-prevalent phleboviruses and fully elucidate the epidemiological situation.
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spelling doaj-art-7971236211de4ae5b30fc3bae3b53be52025-08-20T01:53:57ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502024-10-01151184610.3390/insects15110846Epidemiology of Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses in North Africa: An OverviewSabrina Sellali0Ismail Lafri1Rafik Garni2Hemza Manseur3Mohamed Besbaci4Mohamed Lafri5Idir Bitam6Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University Blida 1, Blida 09000, AlgeriaDepartment of Microbiology and Veterinary Pathology, Institut Pasteur of Algeria, Algiers 16000, AlgeriaDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Institut Pasteur of Algeria, Algiers 16000, AlgeriaInstitute of Veterinary Sciences, University Blida 1, Blida 09000, AlgeriaInstitute of Veterinary Sciences, University Blida 1, Blida 09000, AlgeriaInstitute of Veterinary Sciences, University Blida 1, Blida 09000, AlgeriaCenter of Research in Agro-Pastoralism, Djelfa 17000, AlgeriaEight sandfly-borne phleboviruses were found to circulate in North Africa. Phleboviruses detected in sandflies were Toscana (TOSV), Sandfly Fever Sicilian (SFSV), Sandfly Fever Naples (SFNV), Cyprus (CYPV), Punique (PUNV), Utique, Saddaguia, and Medjerda Valley (MVV) viruses, yielding an overall infection rate of 0.02–0.6%. <i>Phlebotomus perniciosus</i> and <i>Phlebotomus longicuspis</i> were the most common vector species in the region. TOSV seroprevalence in dogs from Algeria (4.56%) and Tunisia (7.5%) was low and close, unlike SFSV (38.1%) and PUNV (43.5%), which were restricted to Tunisia. SFSV (1.3–21%) and TOSV (3.8–50%) were the most prevalent among humans. TOSV was frequently detected and symptomatically confirmed in both Algeria (3.8%) and Tunisia (12.86%). Other sandfly-borne phleboviruses have also been detected but less importantly, such as SFNV in Morocco (2.9%) and Tunisia (1.1%) and PUNV (8.72%), CYPV (2.9%), and MVV (1.35%) in Tunisia. Their distribution was mainly northern. Overall, 15.9% of the healthy population were seropositive for sandfly-borne phleboviruses, with evidenced cocirculation. Noticeably, studies conducted in Morocco were mostly interested in TOSV in sandflies. Available data from Libya and Egypt were scant or historical. Further elaboration is required to check the sporadic detection of less-prevalent phleboviruses and fully elucidate the epidemiological situation.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/11/846phlebovirusToscana virusSicilian virusmeningoencephalitis<i>Phlebotomus</i> feverMorocco
spellingShingle Sabrina Sellali
Ismail Lafri
Rafik Garni
Hemza Manseur
Mohamed Besbaci
Mohamed Lafri
Idir Bitam
Epidemiology of Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses in North Africa: An Overview
Insects
phlebovirus
Toscana virus
Sicilian virus
meningoencephalitis
<i>Phlebotomus</i> fever
Morocco
title Epidemiology of Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses in North Africa: An Overview
title_full Epidemiology of Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses in North Africa: An Overview
title_fullStr Epidemiology of Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses in North Africa: An Overview
title_full_unstemmed Epidemiology of Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses in North Africa: An Overview
title_short Epidemiology of Sandfly-Borne Phleboviruses in North Africa: An Overview
title_sort epidemiology of sandfly borne phleboviruses in north africa an overview
topic phlebovirus
Toscana virus
Sicilian virus
meningoencephalitis
<i>Phlebotomus</i> fever
Morocco
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/11/846
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