1. Sand Fly-Associated Phlebovirus with Evidence of Neutralizing Antibodies in Humans, Kenya.
- Author
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Tchouassi DP, Marklewitz M, Chepkorir E, Zirkel F, Agha SB, Tigoi CC, Koskei E, Drosten C, Borgemeister C, Torto B, Junglen S, and Sang R
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Animals, Bunyaviridae Infections transmission, Bunyaviridae Infections virology, Cell Line, Child, Female, Genome, Insect, Genome, Viral, Genomics methods, Geography, Medical, Humans, Insect Vectors virology, Kenya epidemiology, Male, Mice, Phlebovirus classification, Phlebovirus genetics, Phlebovirus isolation & purification, Phylogeny, Psychodidae classification, Psychodidae genetics, Public Health Surveillance, Young Adult, Antibodies, Neutralizing immunology, Antibodies, Viral immunology, Bunyaviridae Infections epidemiology, Bunyaviridae Infections immunology, Phlebovirus immunology, Psychodidae virology
- Abstract
We describe a novel virus, designated Ntepes virus (NPV), isolated from sand flies in Kenya. NPV has the characteristic phlebovirus trisegmented genome architecture and is related to, but distinct from, Gabek Forest phlebovirus. Diverse cell cultures derived from wildlife, livestock, and humans were susceptible to NPV, with pronounced permissiveness in swine and rodent cells. NPV infection of newborn mice caused rapid and fatal illness. Permissiveness for NPV replication in sand fly cells, but not mosquito cells, suggests a vector-specific adaptation. Specific neutralizing antibodies were found in 13.9% (26/187) of human serum samples taken at the site of isolation of NPV as well as a disparate site in northeastern Kenya, suggesting a wide distribution. We identify a novel human-infecting arbovirus and highlight the importance of rural areas in tropical Africa for arbovirus surveillance as well as extending arbovirus surveillance to include hematophagous arthropods other than mosquitoes.
- Published
- 2019
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