scholarly journals Zika virus, a new threat for Europe?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henri Jupille ◽  
Goncalo Seixas ◽  
Laurence Mousson ◽  
Carla A. Sousa ◽  
Anna-Bella Failloux

AbstractBackground:Since its emergence in 2007 in Micronesia and Polynesia, the arthropod-borne flavivirus Zika virus (ZIKV) has spread in the Americas and the Caribbean, following first detection in Brazil in May 2015. The risk of ZIKV emergence in Europe increases as imported cases are repeatedly reported. Together with chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and dengue virus (DENV), ZIKV is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Any countries where these mosquitoes are present could be potential sites for future ZIKV outbreak.Methodology/Principal Findings:Mosquito females were challenged with an Asian genotype of ZIKV. Fully engorged mosquitoes were then maintained in insectary conditions (28°±1°C, 16h:8h light:dark cycle and 80% humidity). 16-24 mosquitoes from each population were examined at 3, 6, 9 and 14 days postinfection to estimate the infection, disseminated infection and transmission rates. Based on these experimental infections, we demonstrated that Ae. albopictus from France were not very susceptible to ZIKV.Conclusions/Significance:In combination with the restricted distribution and lower population densities of European Ae. albopictus, our results corroborate the low risk for ZIKV to expand into most parts of Europe with the possible exception of the warmest regions bordering the Mediterranean coastline.Author summaryIn May 2015, local transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) was reported in Brazil and since then, more than 1.5 million human cases have been reported in Latin America and the Caribbean. This arbovirus, primarily found in Africa and Asia, is mainly transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Viremic travelers returning from America to European countries where Ae. albopictus is established can become the source for local transmission of ZIKV. In order to estimate the risk of seeding ZIKV into local mosquito populations, the ability of European Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus to transmit ZIKV was measured using experimental infections. We demonstrated that Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti from Europe were not very susceptible to ZIKV. The threat for a Zika outbreak in Europe should be limited.

Author(s):  
Rebecca A Zimler ◽  
Donald A Yee ◽  
Barry W Alto

Abstract Recurrence of local transmission of Zika virus in Puerto Rico is a major public health risk to the United States, where mosquitoes Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) and Aedes mediovittatus (Coquillett) are abundant. To determine the extent to which Ae. mediovittatus are capable of transmitting Zika virus and the influence of viremia, we evaluated infection and transmission in Ae. mediovittatus and Ae. aegypti from Puerto Rico using serial dilutions of infectious blood. Higher doses of infectious blood resulted in greater infection rates in both mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti females were up to twice as susceptible to infection than Ae. mediovittatus, indicating a more effective midgut infection barrier in the latter mosquito species. Aedes aegypti exhibited higher disseminated infection (40–95%) than Ae. mediovittatus (<5%), suggesting a substantial midgut escape barrier in Ae. mediovittatus. For Ae. aegypti, transmission rates were low over a range of doses of Zika virus ingested, suggesting substantial salivary gland barriers.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos C. Schechter ◽  
Kimberly A. Workowski ◽  
Jessica K. Fairley

Abstract Chikungunya fever is a mosquito-borne febrile illness caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an alphavirus from the Togaviridae family. It is transmitted by primarily Aedes aegytpi and Aedes albopictus mosquitos [1]. Once of little importance in the Americas, local transmission was identified in the Caribbean in late 2013. More than 1000 travelers returning to the continental United States have been diagnosed with CHIKV. More importantly, there have been 9 documented cases of autochthonous disease in Florida as of September 16, 2014 [2].


2016 ◽  
Vol 145 (4) ◽  
pp. 710-714 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. CADOT ◽  
M. SEGONDY ◽  
V. FOULONGNE

SUMMARYThe establishment ofAedes albopictusin southern France, a recognized competent vector for several arboviruses, represents a new threat for the local transmission and spread of what were until recently considered as tropical diseases. A preparedness and response plan, based on vigilance of both clinicians and laboratories, has introduced significant changes in guidelines and behaviour regarding patients’ care specifically during the activity period of mosquitoes. In the present study, we report the results of a 1-year activity in arboviral infection diagnosis. A total of 141 patients were included in this retrospective study. The number of suspected imported and autochthonous cases was 69 and 72, respectively. A diagnosis of arboviral infection was confirmed for 15 (21·7%) suspected imported cases, with identification of 13 dengue viruses, one chikungunya virus and one Zika virus. No autochthonous cases were detected. This report illustrates the increase in requests for arboviral infection diagnosis and confirms the challenge with identifying autochthonous arboviral infection cases in many unspecific febrile syndromes.


mSphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andres Moreira-Soto ◽  
Ianei de Oliveira Carneiro ◽  
Carlo Fischer ◽  
Marie Feldmann ◽  
Beate M. Kümmerer ◽  
...  

Since 2013, Zika virus (ZIKV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) have infected millions of people in the Americas via urban transmission cycles. Nonhuman primates (NHP) are involved in sylvatic transmission cycles maintaining ZIKV and CHIKV in the Old World. We tested NHP sampled during 2012 to 2017 in urban and peri-urban areas severely affected by ZIKV and CHIKV in Brazil. Seroprevalence and antibody titers were low for both viruses. Additionally, we found evidence for infection by heterologous viruses eliciting cross-reactive antibodies. Our data suggest that urban or peri-urban NHP are not easily infected by ZIKV and CHIKV despite intense local transmission. These data may imply that the ZIKV and CHIKV outbreaks in the Americas cannot be sustained in urban or peri-urban NHP once human population immunity limits urban transmission cycles. Investigation of diverse animals is urgently required to determine the fate of the ZIKV and CHIKV outbreaks in the Americas.


2016 ◽  
Vol 144 (9) ◽  
pp. 1912-1916 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. ROSSINI ◽  
P. GAIBANI ◽  
C. VOCALE ◽  
A. C. FINARELLI ◽  
M. P. LANDINI

SUMMARYThis report describes an increased number of cases of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection imported in northern Italy (Emilia-Romagna region) during the period May–September 2014, indicating that the recent spread of CHIKV and its establishment in the Caribbean and in central America, resulted in a high number of imported cases in Europe, thus representing a threat to public health. From May to September 2014, 14 imported cases of CHIKV infection were diagnosed; the patients were returning to Italy from Dominican Republic (n = 6), Haiti (n = 3), Guadeloupe (n = 2), Martinique (n = 1), Puerto Rico (n = 1) and Venezuela (n = 1). Phylogenetic analysis performed on the envelope protein (E1) gene sequences, obtained from plasma samples from two patients, indicated that the virus strain belongs to the Caribbean clade of the Asian genotype currently circulating in the Caribbean and Americas. The rise in the number of imported cases of CHIKV infection should increase healthcare professionals' awareness of the epidemiological situation and clinical presentation of CHIKV infection in order to enhance surveillance and early diagnosis in the forthcoming season of vector activity in Europe and North America.


2015 ◽  
Vol 68 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 122-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Hrnjakovic-Cvjetkovic ◽  
Dejan Cvjetkovic ◽  
Aleksandra Patic ◽  
Natasa Nikolic ◽  
Sandra Stefan-Mikic ◽  
...  

Introduction. Chikungunya is a contagious disease caused by Chikungunya virus, an arbovirus from the Togaviridae family. This infection is mostly spread by mosquitoes from the genus Aedes, especially Aedes albopictus, which have spread from Asia to America and Europe including some countries surrounding Serbia. Epidemiologic Features. The outbreak of epidemics has been reported in Philippines, Sumatra, Java, Indonesia, West Africa region (from Senegal to Cameroon), Congo, Nigeria, Angola, Uganda, Guinea, Malawi, Central African Republic, Burundi, South Africa and India. At the beginning of the 21st century, large outbreaks were recorded on the island of R?union. During 2006, 1.400.000 cases of chikungunya infection were recorded in India. Local transmission of infection in continental Europe was reported from Northeast Italy (254 suspected and 78 laboratory confirmed cases in Emilia-Romagna region) and France (two cases in 2010). From December 2013 to June 2014, 5.294 confirmed cases and more than 180.000 suspected cases of chikungunya were reported in the Caribbean. Clinical Findings. The disease presents suddenly with fever, rush and arthralgia. In general, chikungunya is a mild self - limited disease. Less often, it may be presented with signs of meningoencephalitis or fulminant hepatitis, sometimes with fatal outcome. Conclusion. Fast developing international traffic and booming tourism as well as the vector spreading from its homeland make chikungunya a real threat to our country.


Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tereza Magalhaes ◽  
Alexis Robison ◽  
Michael Young ◽  
William Black ◽  
Brian Foy ◽  
...  

In urban settings, chikungunya, Zika, and dengue viruses are transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Since these viruses co-circulate in several regions, coinfection in humans and vectors may occur, and human coinfections have been frequently reported. Yet, little is known about the molecular aspects of virus interactions within hosts and how they contribute to arbovirus transmission dynamics. We have previously shown that Aedes aegypti exposed to chikungunya and Zika viruses in the same blood meal can become coinfected and transmit both viruses simultaneously. However, mosquitoes may also become coinfected by multiple, sequential feeds on single infected hosts. Therefore, we tested whether sequential infection with chikungunya and Zika viruses impacts mosquito vector competence. We exposed Ae. aegypti mosquitoes first to one virus and 7 days later to the other virus and compared infection, dissemination, and transmission rates between sequentially and single infected groups. We found that coinfection rates were high after sequential exposure and that mosquitoes were able to co-transmit both viruses. Surprisingly, chikungunya virus coinfection enhanced Zika virus transmission 7 days after the second blood meal. Our data demonstrate heterologous arbovirus synergism within mosquitoes, by unknown mechanisms, leading to enhancement of transmission under certain conditions.


2016 ◽  
Vol 80 ◽  
pp. 8-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgit De Smet ◽  
Dorien Van den Bossche ◽  
Charlotte van de Werve ◽  
Jacques Mairesse ◽  
Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit ◽  
...  

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