Detection of the Northeastern African Rift Valley Fever Virus Lineage During the 2015 Outbreak in Mauritania

Abstract

Background.Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an acute viral anthropozoonosis that causes epizootics and epidemics among livestock population and humans. Multiple emergences and reemergences of the virus have occurred in Mauritania over the last decade. This article describes the outbreak that occurred in 2015 in Mauritania and reports the results of serological and molecular investigations of blood samples collected from suspected RVF patients.Methods.An RVF outbreak was reported from 14 September to 26 November 2015 in Mauritania. Overall, 184 suspected cases from different localities were identified by 26 health facilities. Blood samples were collected and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD). Sequencing of partial genomes and phylogenetic analyses were performed on RT-PCR–positive samples. As part of routine surveillance at IPD, samples were also screened for dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, Zika, and Chikungunya viruses by ELISA and RT-PCR.Results.Of the 184 suspected cases, there were 57 confirmed cases and 12 deaths. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences indicated an emergence of a virus that originated from Northeastern Africa. Our results show co-circulation of other arboviruses in Mauritania—dengue, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, and West Nile viruses.Conclusion.The Northeastern Africa lineage of RVF was responsible for the outbreak in Mauritania in 2015. Co-circulation of multiples arboviruses was detected. This calls for systematic differential diagnosis and highlights the need to strengthen arbovirus surveillance in Africa.

Rift Valley fever in northern Senegal: A modelling approach to analyse the processes underlying virus circulation recurrence

“…Since its first recognition in 1931 in Kenya, RVF outbreaks have been regularly reported in sub-Saharan Africa [10][11][12][13][14][15][16], the Indian Ocean [17,18] and the Arabian Peninsula [19]. The most recent outbreaks occurred in Mauritania (2015), Niger (2016), Uganda (2016) and Mayotte (2018-2019) [10,[20][21][22].…”

Development of Mobile Laboratory for Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Detection in Africa

“…Backup serological diagnostics at IPD used in-house IgM/IgG ELISA assays for RVFV, DENV, and YFV. It also provided partial sequencing of DENV E- [ 31 ], NS5- [ 32 ], and NS5/3-NCR [ 33 ] regions and of RVFV L, M, and S segments [ 34 ].…”

“…Virus was isolated from all 4 RVFV-positive mosquito batches. Phylogenetic analysis of partial L-, S-, and M-segment sequences showed that the strains responsible for the outbreak of RVF re-emerged from a local RVFV focus, showing the need for continuous surveillance [ 34 ].…”

Systematic Review of Important Viral Diseases in Africa in Light of the ‘One Health’ Concept

“…The RVFV-positive samples were partially sequenced and a phylogenetic analysis was conducted, which revealed a possible association between the observed cases in Mauritania and the RVFV isolates reported from Senegal in 2013. The RVFV disease outbreak in Mauritania reported 57 confirmed cases as well as 12 deaths [123].…”