Wild terrestrial rainforest mammals as potential reservoirs for flaviviruses (yellow fever, dengue 2 and St Louis encephalitis viruses) in French Guiana

B. de Thoisy (1) , Philippe Dussart (2) , M. Kazanji (1)

1 Laboratoire de Rétrovirologie [Cayenne, Guyane française]
2 Laboratoire de virologie [Cayenne, Guyane française]

A serological survey for yellow fever virus (YFV), dengue 2 virus (DENV-2), and St Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) was undertaken using a seroneutralization technique in 27 wild forest mammal species (574 individuals) in French Guiana. Evidence of yellow fever infection was observed in 10 species, with high prevalence recorded in howler monkey (18%) and agouti (20%). Antibodies against DENV-2 and SLEV were found sporadically in various species. This potential host diversity and the range of potential vectors might explain the behaviour of the viruses in epidemic outbreaks and the emergence of periurban loci.

Keywords: Flavivirus; Yellow fever; Dengue; St Louis encephalitis; Forest mammals; French Guiana

Domains: Virology

B. de Thoisy, Philippe Dussart, M. Kazanji. Wild terrestrial rainforest mammals as potential reservoirs for flaviviruses (yellow fever, dengue 2 and St Louis encephalitis viruses) in French Guiana. Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2004, 98 (7), pp.409 - 412. ⟨10.1016/j.trstmh.2003.12.003⟩. ⟨pasteur-03214517⟩