First serological investigation of peste-des-petits-ruminants and Rift Valley fever in Tunisia.

Emna Ayari-Fakhfakh (1) , Abdeljelil Ghram (1) , Ali Bouattour (1) , Imen Larbi (1) , Latifa Gribâa-Dridi (1) , Olivier Kwiatek (2) , Michèle Bouloy (3) , Geneviève Libeau (2) , Emmanuel Albina (2) , Catherine Cêtre-Sossah (2)

1 Institut Pasteur de Tunis
2 UMR CMAEE - Contrôle des maladies animales exotiques et émergentes
3 Génétique Moléculaire des Bunyavirus

This study, carried out between September 2006 and January 2007, is the first cross-sectional serological investigation of peste-des-petits-ruminants (PPR) and Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Tunisia. The objective was to assess the potential need to develop a dual, recombinant PPR-RVF vaccine and how such a vaccine might be utilised in Tunisia. An overall PPR seroprevalence of 7.45% was determined, a finding supported by the high specificity (99.4%) and sensitivity (94.5%) of the ELISA used. On assessment of the diversity and density of mosquitoes in the sampling area, four species of RVF-vectors of the genus Aedes and Culex were identified. However, no serological evidence of RVF was found despite the use of a highly sensitive ELISA (99-100%). Larger scale investigations are underway to confirm these findings and the continuation of the emergency vaccination program against these two diseases remains valid.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Animal biology; Veterinary medicine and animal Health

Emna Ayari-Fakhfakh, Abdeljelil Ghram, Ali Bouattour, Imen Larbi, Latifa Gribâa-Dridi, et al.. First serological investigation of peste-des-petits-ruminants and Rift Valley fever in Tunisia.. Veterinary Journal, 2011, 187 (3), pp.402-4. ⟨10.1016/j.tvjl.2010.01.007⟩. ⟨pasteur-00606752⟩