Miriam A Sas1, Marc Mertens1, Ekaterina Isselmou2, Nicole Reimer3, Bezeid O El Mamy2, Baba Doumbia2, Martin H Groschup1. 1. 1 Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health , Greifswald - Isle of Riems, Germany . 2. 2 Service de Pathologie Infectieuses, Centre National de l'Élevage et de Recherches Vétérinaires , Nouakchott, Mauritania . 3. 3 Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health , Greifswald - Isle of Riems, Germany .
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) was detected for the first time in Mauritania in 1983 and several CCHFV outbreaks were reported in the following years. The last human case was diagnosed in 2015. However, no recent data exist about the prevalence of CCHFV in animals, although it is already described that prevalence studies in animals serve as good risk indicators. CCHFV can cause a severe hemorrhagic fever with a high case fatality rate in humans. Therefore, a precise risk assessment on the basis of updated data is very important. This article gives an overview about the current CCHFV prevalence in cattle in Mauritania. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A seroprevalence study was carried out using 495 cattle sera from Mauritania, which were collected in the year 2013. The sera were analyzed by an inhouse CCHFV-IgG-ELISA. As second screening test, an adapted commercial CCHFV-IgG-ELISA was performed. Inconclusive sera were additionally tested by a modified commercial CCHFV-IgG-IFA. All assays showed high diagnostic sensitivity (>95%) and specificity (>98%). The overall prevalence of CCHFV-specific antibodies found in Mauritanian cattle was 67%, ranging from 56% to 90% in different provinces. CONCLUSION: This study shows a very high CCHFV-specific antibody prevalence in cattle in Mauritania. It is the highest seroprevalence detected in Mauritania so far. This strengthens the hypothesis that CCHFV is a serious and ongoing threat for public health in Mauritania.
BACKGROUND:Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) was detected for the first time in Mauritania in 1983 and several CCHFV outbreaks were reported in the following years. The last human case was diagnosed in 2015. However, no recent data exist about the prevalence of CCHFV in animals, although it is already described that prevalence studies in animals serve as good risk indicators. CCHFV can cause a severe hemorrhagic fever with a high case fatality rate in humans. Therefore, a precise risk assessment on the basis of updated data is very important. This article gives an overview about the current CCHFV prevalence in cattle in Mauritania. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A seroprevalence study was carried out using 495 cattle sera from Mauritania, which were collected in the year 2013. The sera were analyzed by an inhouse CCHFV-IgG-ELISA. As second screening test, an adapted commercial CCHFV-IgG-ELISA was performed. Inconclusive sera were additionally tested by a modified commercial CCHFV-IgG-IFA. All assays showed high diagnostic sensitivity (>95%) and specificity (>98%). The overall prevalence of CCHFV-specific antibodies found in Mauritanian cattle was 67%, ranging from 56% to 90% in different provinces. CONCLUSION: This study shows a very high CCHFV-specific antibody prevalence in cattle in Mauritania. It is the highest seroprevalence detected in Mauritania so far. This strengthens the hypothesis that CCHFV is a serious and ongoing threat for public health in Mauritania.
Authors: Lina González Gordon; Paul R Bessell; Egbe F Nkongho; Victor N Ngwa; Vincent N Tanya; Melissa Sander; Lucy Ndip; Kenton L Morgan; Ian G Handel; Stella Mazeri; Barend MdeC Bronsvoort; Robert F Kelly Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2022-03-21