Culex pipiens, an experimental efficient vector of West Nile and Rift Valley fever viruses in the Maghreb region.
Authors: Amraoui Fadila, Krida Ghazi, Bouattour Ali, Rhim Adel, Daaboub Jabeur, Harrat Zoubir, Boubidi Said-Chawki, Tijane Mhamed, Sarih Mhammed, Failloux Anna-Bella
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary West Nile virus and Rift Valley fever pose significant emerging threats to equine populations and other livestock in North Africa, where favourable climatic conditions and the presence of Culex pipiens mosquitoes create ideal conditions for viral amplification and spread. Researchers collected Culex pipiens populations from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia and experimentally exposed them to both West Nile virus and an attenuated Rift Valley fever strain to assess their competence as vectors under controlled laboratory conditions over a 14–21 day observation period. All mosquito populations showed high disseminated West Nile virus infection with complete salivary transmission capability by day 14, whereas only 69.2% developed disseminated Rift Valley fever infection, and of these, just 77.8% transmitted virus through saliva. These findings confirm that Culex pipiens in the Maghreb region poses a considerable risk for West Nile virus circulation in equine and avian populations, whilst Rift Valley fever transmission remains lower but still viable—a distinction that should inform surveillance protocols and biosecurity planning in endemic and at-risk areas. Equine professionals in affected regions should remain alert to clinical signs of West Nile virus infection in particular and ensure appropriate diagnostic testing is available, whilst recognising that vector control measures targeting Culex populations may offer a practical intervention point for disease prevention.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Horses and equine practitioners in North Africa should be aware that local Culex pipiens mosquitoes are capable of efficiently transmitting West Nile virus, making disease surveillance and vector control strategically important
- •West Nile fever poses a significant transmission risk to equine populations in the Maghreb due to high vector competence; biosecurity measures against mosquitoes should be prioritized during summer months
- •Clinical vigilance for WNV-related neurological or systemic disease in horses in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia is warranted given the demonstrated vector efficiency in this region
Key Findings
- •All Culex pipiens mosquito strains from North Africa developed disseminated WNV infection and were able to transmit infectious virus via saliva within 14 days of exposure
- •69.2% of mosquito strains developed disseminated RVFV Clone 13 infection, with 77.8% of those strains capable of viral transmission through saliva
- •Cx. pipiens from the Maghreb region represent efficient experimental vectors for WNV and moderately efficient vectors for RVFV Clone 13