Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) has never been reported from Lebanon. Yet, this country is located on the flyway of migratory birds in the Middle East region. Serological screening was conducted to assess the potential circulation of this virus. Human, horse, and chicken sera were collected from the Bekaa and North districts. Specific IgG and IgY were first screened by ELISA. Then, positive samples were confirmed by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Besides this, adult mosquitoes were collected and tested for the presence of WNV RNA using conventional RT-PCR. Sera screening revealed a seroprevalence rate reaching 1.86% among humans and 2.47% among horses. Cross-reactions revealed by ELISA suggested the circulation of flaviviruses other than WNV. None of the tested mosquitoes was positive for WNV. The observed results constitute strong evidence of local exposure of the Lebanese population to this virus and the first report of equine WNV in Lebanon.
Highlights
West Nile virus (WNV; Flavivirus; Flaviviridae) is a widespread mosquito-borne virus.It is transmitted to vertebrates by the bite of a broad range of mosquito species, mainly members of the Culex genus
The present study aims to assess the circulation of WNV in Lebanon
Sera analysis by in-house ELISA showed that 69 individuals from the Bekaa (8.62%, n = 803) and 2 from North area (0.69%, n = 288) had ODP/ODN > 2 and were considered tentatively seropositive for WNV (Figure 2A,B)
Summary
West Nile virus (WNV; Flavivirus; Flaviviridae) is a widespread mosquito-borne virus. It is transmitted to vertebrates by the bite of a broad range of mosquito species, mainly members of the Culex genus. When infected, they often remain asymptomatic except in the United States where significant mortality is observed [1]. They often remain asymptomatic except in the United States where significant mortality is observed [1] Other vertebrates, such as humans and horses, are considered dead-end hosts. The infection is asymptomatic in 80% of cases. Otherwise, infected individuals develop an acute febrile illness. Severity varies from a self-limited infection to encephalitis causing long-term disability and, in 10% of neurologic cases, death
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