Phylodynamic and Phylogeographic Analysis of the Complete Genome of the West Nile Virus Lineage 2 (WNV-2) in the Mediterranean Basin

Overview

Journal BMC Ecol Evol

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Biology
Environmental Health

Date 2021 Sep 28

PMID 34579648

Citations 8

Authors

Haythem Srihi

Noureddine Chatti

Manel Ben Mhadheb

Jawhar Gharbi

Nabil Abid

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The West Nile virus is a highly contagious agent for a wide range of hosts. Its spread in the Mediterranean region raises several questions about its origin and the risk factors underlying the virus's dispersal.

Materials And Methods: The present study aims to reconstruct the temporal and spatial phylodynamics of West Nile virus lineage 2 in the Mediterranean region using 75 complete genome sequences from different host species retrieved from international databases.

Results: This data set suggests that current strains of WNV-2 began spreading in South Africa or nearby regions in the early twentieth century, and it migrated northwards via at least one route crossing the Mediterranean to reach Hungary in the early 2000s, before spreading throughout Europe. Another introduction event, according to the data set collected and analyses performed, is inferred to have occurred in around 1978. Migratory birds constitute, among others, additional risk factors that enhance the geographical transmission of the infection.

Conclusion: Our data underline the importance of the spatial-temporal tracking of migratory birds and phylodynamic reconstruction in setting up an efficient surveillance system for emerging and reemerging zoonoses in the Mediterranean region.

Citing Articles

First Detection of West Nile Virus Lineage 2 in Vectors in Croatia.

Vignjevic G, Busic N, Turic N, Varga Z, Zana B, Abraham A Pathogens. 2025; 13(12.

PMID: 39770390 PMC: 11676261. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13121131.

Complex patterns of WNV evolution: a focus on the Western Balkans and Central Europe.

Solaja S, Goletic S, Veljovic L, Glisic D Front Vet Sci. 2024; 11:1494746.

PMID: 39634759 PMC: 11614783. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1494746.

Seroprevalence of West Nile Virus among Equids in Bulgaria in 2022 and Assessment of Some Risk Factors.

Rusenova N, Rusenov A, Chervenkov M, Sirakov I Vet Sci. 2024; 11(5).

PMID: 38787181 PMC: 11126025. DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11050209.

Circulation of West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus in Europe: Overview and Challenges.

Simonin Y Viruses. 2024; 16(4).

PMID: 38675940 PMC: 11055060. DOI: 10.3390/v16040599.

West Nile virus spread in Europe: Phylogeographic pattern analysis and key drivers.

Lu L, Zhang F, Oude Munnink B, Munger E, Sikkema R, Pappa S PLoS Pathog. 2024; 20(1):e1011880.

PMID: 38271294 PMC: 10810478. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011880.

References

LARKIN M, Blackshields G, Brown N, Chenna R, McGettigan P, McWilliam H . Clustal W and Clustal X version 2.0. Bioinformatics. 2007; 23(21):2947-8. DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btm404. View

Jourdain E, Zeller H, Sabatier P, Murri S, Kayser Y, Greenland T . Prevalence of West Nile virus neutralizing antibodies in wild birds from the Camargue area, southern France. J Wildl Dis. 2008; 44(3):766-71. DOI: 10.7589/0090-3558-44.3.766. View

Jupp P . The ecology of West Nile virus in South Africa and the occurrence of outbreaks in humans. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002; 951:143-52. DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2001.tb02692.x. View

Malkinson M, Banet C, Weisman Y, Pokamunski S, King R, Drouet M . Introduction of West Nile virus in the Middle East by migrating white storks. Emerg Infect Dis. 2002; 8(4):392-7. PMC: 2730252. DOI: 10.3201/eid0804.010217. View

Ain-Najwa M, Yasmin A, Omar A, Arshad S, Abu J, Mohammed H . Evidence of West Nile virus infection in migratory and resident wild birds in west coast of peninsular Malaysia. One Health. 2020; 10:100134. PMC: 7210594. DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100134. View

Valiakos G, Touloudi A, Athanasiou L, Giannakopoulos A, Iacovakis C, Birtsas P . Serological and molecular investigation into the role of wild birds in the epidemiology of West Nile virus in Greece. Virol J. 2012; 9:266. PMC: 3546012. DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-9-266. View

Chaintoutis S, Papa A, Pervanidou D, Dovas C . Evolutionary dynamics of lineage 2 West Nile virus in Europe, 2004-2018: Phylogeny, selection pressure and phylogeography. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2019; 141:106617. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106617. View

Rudolf I, Bakonyi T, Sebesta O, Mendel J, Pesko J, Betasova L . West Nile virus lineage 2 isolated from Culex modestus mosquitoes in the Czech Republic, 2013: expansion of the European WNV endemic area to the North?. Euro Surveill. 2014; 19(31):2-5. DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es2014.19.31.20867. View

Volz E, Koelle K, Bedford T . Viral phylodynamics. PLoS Comput Biol. 2013; 9(3):e1002947. PMC: 3605911. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002947. View

10.

Bakonyi T, Ivanics E, Erdelyi K, Ursu K, Ferenczi E, Weissenbock H . Lineage 1 and 2 strains of encephalitic West Nile virus, central Europe. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006; 12(4):618-23. PMC: 3294705. DOI: 10.3201/eid1204.051379. View

11.

Guthrie A, Howell P, Gardner I, Swanepoel R, Nurton J, Harper C . West Nile virus infection of Thoroughbred horses in South Africa (2000-2001). Equine Vet J. 2003; 35(6):601-5. DOI: 10.2746/042516403775467180. View

12.

Esteves A, Almeida A, Galao R, Parreira R, Piedade J, Rodrigues J . West Nile virus in Southern Portugal, 2004. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2006; 5(4):410-3. DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2005.5.410. View

13.

Hasegawa M, Kishino H, Yano T . Dating of the human-ape splitting by a molecular clock of mitochondrial DNA. J Mol Evol. 1985; 22(2):160-74. DOI: 10.1007/BF02101694. View

14.

Zeller H, Schuffenecker I . West Nile virus: an overview of its spread in Europe and the Mediterranean basin in contrast to its spread in the Americas. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2004; 23(3):147-56. DOI: 10.1007/s10096-003-1085-1. View

15.

Rieux A, Balloux F . Inferences from tip-calibrated phylogenies: a review and a practical guide. Mol Ecol. 2016; 25(9):1911-24. PMC: 4949988. DOI: 10.1111/mec.13586. View

16.

Strimmer K, Von Haeseler A . Likelihood-mapping: a simple method to visualize phylogenetic content of a sequence alignment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997; 94(13):6815-9. PMC: 21241. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.94.13.6815. View

17.

Jimenez-Clavero M, Sotelo E, Fernandez-Pinero J, Llorente F, Blanco J, Rodriguez-Ramos J . West Nile virus in golden eagles, Spain, 2007. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008; 14(9):1489-91. PMC: 2603101. DOI: 10.3201/eid1409.080190. View

18.

Figuerola J, Jimenez-Clavero M, Lopez G, Rubio C, Soriguer R, Gomez-Tejedor C . Size matters: West Nile Virus neutralizing antibodies in resident and migratory birds in Spain. Vet Microbiol. 2008; 132(1-2):39-46. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.04.023. View

19.

Baele G, Li W, Drummond A, Suchard M, Lemey P . Accurate model selection of relaxed molecular clocks in bayesian phylogenetics. Mol Biol Evol. 2012; 30(2):239-43. PMC: 3548314. DOI: 10.1093/molbev/mss243. View

20.

Figuerola J, Soriguer R, Rojo G, Tejedor C, Jimenez-Clavero M . Seroconversion in wild birds and local circulation of West Nile virus, Spain. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008; 13(12):1915-7. PMC: 2876749. DOI: 10.3201/eid1312.070343. View