The isolation of Meaban virus, a newFlavivirus from the seabird tickOrnithodoros (Alectorobius) maritimus in France

Abstract

SummarySeven strains of a new Flavivirus, for which the name of Meaban virus is proposed, were isolated from the seabird tick Ornithodoros (A.) maritimus collected during 1981 and 1982 in nests of herring gulls (Larus argentatus) on islands of South Brittany, France. The new virus was compared serologieally with 65 other flaviviruses including Tyuleniy virus and was found to be most closely related to, but different from Saumarez Reef virus, an agent previously isolated in Australia and Tasmania. Some general properties of Meaban virus are described and its antigenic relationships with other tick-borne flaviviruses associated with seabirds are discussed.

Antigenic Relationships between Flaviviruses as Determined by Cross-neutralization Tests with Polyclonal Antisera

“…Tick-borne flaviviruses (Tables 1 and 4) may belong to a single antigenic complex. Complement fixation tests (Chastel et al, 1985) suggest a closer relationship between Tyuleniy, Saumarez Reef and Meaban viruses than between these and other tick-borne flaviviruses, but N tests did not support this observation; we did not compare Meaban virus with any but Tyuleniy and Saumarez Reef viruses.…”

Molecular evolution of the tick-borne encephalitis and Powassan viruses

“…A phylogenetic analysis based on the NS5 encoding sequences confirmed the validity of flavivirus classification. Tick borne flavivi ruses associated with marine birds are common in areas of high nesting density in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres [7]. Consequently, it was pro posed that the area of tick borne flaviviruses has been expanding from the birds' nesting areas to the forests of Eurasia, where they switched to ixodid ticks as their major host, and farther to the forest and forest-steppe zone [8][9][10].…”

Experimental Transmission of Karshi and Langat (Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Complex) Viruses by Ornithodoros Ticks (Acari: Argasidae)

“…Therefore, the susceptibility of O. parkeri, O. sonrai, and O. tartakovskyi to infection; their ability to transmit virus for extended periods; and the isolation of several members of the TBE-complex from Ornithodoros ticks (e.g., Karshi, Meaban, Kyasanur Forest, and Saumarez Reef viruses) (Rajagopalan et al 1969, Dhanda and Rajagopalan 1971, St George et al 1977, Chastel et al 1985, Karabatsos 1985 indicate that Ornithodoros species should be studied further as potential reservoir hosts for members of the TBE-complex.…”

“…Rodents may serve as reservoir hosts for Karshi and Langat virus in nature (Smith 1956,,Karabatsos 1985. Although experimental studies on members of the TBE virus complex have focused on ixodid ticks, several members of the TBE virus complex, in addition to Karshi virus, have been isolated from Ornithodoros ticks (Rajagopalan et al 1969, Dhanda and Rajagopalan 1971, Chastel et al 1985, St George et al 1977. The association of several TBE-complex viruses with argasid ticks in nature, the demonstration that these ticks can transmit Langat virus (Turell and Durden …”