Abstract
Despite control/eradication programs, brucellosis, major worldwide zoonosis due to the Brucella genus, is endemic in Northern Africa and remains a major public health problem in the Maghreb region (Algeria/Morocco/Tunisia). Brucella melitensis biovar 3 is mostly involved in human infections and infects mainly small ruminants. Human and animal brucellosis occurrence in the Maghreb seems still underestimated and its epidemiological situation remains hazy. This study summarizes official data, regarding Brucella melitensis infections in Algeria, from 1989 to 2012, with the purpose to provide appropriate insights concerning the epidemiological situation of human and small ruminant brucellosis in Maghreb. Algeria and Europe are closely linked for historical and economical reasons. These historical connections raise the question of their possible impact on the genetic variability of Brucella strains circulating in the Maghreb. Other purpose of this study was to assess the genetic diversity among Maghreb B. melitensis biovar 3 strains, and to investigate their possible epidemiological relationship with European strains, especially with French strains. A total of 90 B. melitensis biovar 3 Maghreb strains isolated over a 25 year-period (1989–2014), mainly from humans, were analysed by MLVA-16. The obtained results were compared with genotypes of European B. melitensis biovar 3 strains. Molecular assays showed that Algerian strains were mainly distributed into two distinct clusters, one Algerian cluster related to European sub-cluster. These results led to suggest the existence of a lineage resulting from socio-historical connections between Algeria and Europe that might have evolved distinctly from the Maghreb autochthonous group. This study provides insights regarding the epidemiological situation of human brucellosis in the Maghreb and is the first molecular investigation regarding B. melitensis biovar 3 strains circulating in the Maghreb.
Highlights
IntroductionThe disease remains endemic in many regions of the world, with predominance in the Mediterranean Basin, especially in Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia), Middle East, Africa, western Asia, Central and South America
Brucellosis, due to the Brucella genus, is a major worldwide zoonosis
This study is the first molecular investigation regarding the Brucella strains circulating in Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) over a 25 year-period (1989–2014), including strains isolated from patients diagnosed in France, but whose contamination origin was undoubtedly Maghreb
Summary
The disease remains endemic in many regions of the world, with predominance in the Mediterranean Basin, especially in Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia), Middle East, Africa, western Asia, Central and South America. The global burden of human brucellosis remains important: the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the infection causes more than 500,000 infections per year worldwide [1], with an important travel-association [2]. If human brucellosis is a notifiable disease in most countries, official reports do not exactly reflect the number of persons affected every year (clinical polymorphism, political management, etc.) and WHO considers that the real incidence of this disease is 10–25 times superior to the notified [3]. Brucellosis affects wild and domestic mammals, especially cattle, small ruminants and swine, causing abortion and reduced fertility. The disease is transmitted to human through ingestion of contaminated dairy products (raw milk and unpasteurized cheeses) [2], as well as by direct contacts (cutaneous/ mucous and aerosol inhalation) with infected animals or biological materials (carcass, abortion products, clinical samples)
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