Inactivation of three emerging viruses – severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus and Nipah virus – in platelet concentrates by ultraviolet C light and in plasma by methylene blue plus visible light

SUMMARYCrimean Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a bunyavirus with a single-stranded RNA genome consisting of three segments (S, M, L), coding for the nucleocapsid protein, envelope glycoproteins and RNA polymerase, respectively. To date only five complete genome sequences are available from southern African isolates. Complete genome sequences were generated for 10 southern African CCHFV isolates using next-generation sequencing techniques. The maximum-likelihood method was used to generate tree topologies for 15 southern African plus 26 geographically distinct complete sequences from GenBank. M segment reassortment was identified in 10/15 southern African isolates by incongruencies in grouping compared to the S and L segments. These reassortant M segments cluster with isolates from Asia/Middle East, while the S and L segments cluster with strains from South/West Africa. The CCHFV M segment shows a high level of genetic diversity, while the S and L segments appear to co-evolve. The reason for the high frequency of M segment reassortment is not known. It has previously been suggested that M segment reassortment results in a virus with high fitness but a clear role in increased pathogenicity has yet to be shown.

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Epidemiological investigation of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus infection among the one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in southern Tunisia

Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases ◽

10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101601 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 101601

Author(s):

Faten Bouaicha ◽

Albert Eisenbarth ◽

Khawla Elati ◽

Ansgar Schulz ◽

Boubaker Ben Smida ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virus Infection ◽

Fever Virus ◽

Camelus Dromedarius ◽

Haemorrhagic Fever ◽

Epidemiological Investigation ◽

Southern Tunisia ◽

Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever ◽

The One

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Factors driving the circulation and possible expansion of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus in the western Palearctic

Journal of Applied Microbiology ◽

10.1111/jam.12039 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 114 (1) ◽

pp. 278-286 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

A. Estrada-Peña ◽

F. Ruiz-Fons ◽

P. Acevedo ◽

C. Gortazar ◽

J. de la Fuente

Keyword(s):

Fever Virus ◽

Haemorrhagic Fever ◽

Western Palearctic ◽

Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever

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Absence of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus in the tick Hyalomma aegyptium parasitizing the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) in Tunisia

Parasite ◽

10.1051/parasite/2019036 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 35 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Wasfi Fares ◽

Khalil Dachraoui ◽

Chawki Najjar ◽

Hend Younsi ◽

Stephen Findlay-Wilson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tick Species ◽

Fever Virus ◽

Haemorrhagic Fever ◽

Northern Tunisia ◽

Testudo Graeca ◽

Infestation Intensity ◽

Main Host ◽

Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever ◽

High Degree ◽

Free Ranging

Free-ranging spur-thighed tortoises Testudo graeca, captured in different habitat types of Northern Tunisia from March to April 2017, were examined for tick infestation: 134/147 (91%) were infested. The overall infestation intensity and abundance was 8.5 and 7.8, respectively. From these tortoises, 1174 ticks were collected, of which 10% (n = 120) taken from 18 randomly-selected tortoises were identified at the species level; the remaining ticks were examined for the presence of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFv) by real time RT-PCR. Only adult Hyalomma aegyptium were found, suggesting a high degree of host specificity to tortoises. No CCHFv was detected in ticks. Considering the absence of CCHFv in Hyalomma aegyptium infesting its main host, the spur-thighed tortoise, this tick species is unlikely to play a major role in the epidemiology of CCHF. Therefore, more studies are needed to investigate the circulation of this arbovirus between livestock and other tick species from North Africa.

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