Research Communication

Emerging vector-borne diseases in dromedaries in Tunisia: West Nile, bluetongue, epizootic haemorrhagic disease and Rift Valley fever

Thameur B. Hassine, Jihane Amdouni, Federica Monaco, Giovanni Savini, Soufien Sghaier, Imed B. Selimen, Walid Chandoul, Khaled B. Hamida, Salah Hammami
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research | Vol 84, No 1 | a1316 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v84i1.1316 | © 2017 Thameur B. Hassine, Jihane Amdouni, Federica Monaco, Giovanni Savini, Soufien Sghaier, Imed B. Selimen, Walid Chandoul, Khaled B. Hamida, Salah Hammami | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 16 July 2016 | Published: 31 March 2017

About the author(s)

Thameur B. Hassine, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Université la Manouba, Tunisia
Jihane Amdouni, Université Tunis El Manar, Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie, Tunisia
Federica Monaco, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, Teramo, Italy
Giovanni Savini, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise, Teramo, Italy
Soufien Sghaier, Université Tunis El Manar, Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie, Tunisia
Imed B. Selimen, Commissariats Régionaux au Développement Agricole, Medenine, Tunisia
Walid Chandoul, Commissariats Régionaux au Développement Agricole, Medenine, Tunisia
Khaled B. Hamida, Université Tunis El Manar, Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie, Tunisia
Salah Hammami, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Université la Manouba; Université Tunis El Manar, Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie, Tunisia

Abstract

A total of 118 sera were collected during 2016 from two groups of dromedaries from Kebili and Medenine governorates in the south of Tunisia. The aim of this study was to provide the first serological investigation of four emerging vector-borne diseases in two groups of dromedaries in Tunisia. Sera were tested by ELISA and serum neutralisation test to identify West Nile virus (WNV), bluetongue virus (BTV), epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). In the first group, the seroprevalence for BTV was 4.6%, while in the second group, it was 25.8% for WNV and 9.7% for BTV. Only serotype 1 was detected for BTV in the two groups. No evidence for circulation of RVF and EHD viruses was revealed. Results indicated that dromedaries can be infected with BTV and WNV, suggesting that this species might play a significant role in the epizootiology of these viral diseases in Tunisia and neighbouring countries.

Keywords

WND; BT; EHD; FVR; Survey; dromedaries; Tunisia

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