Arboviral risk in Burkina Faso : characterization and surveillance

Abstract

Arboviruses are viruses belonging to several families and transmitted to vertebrates by the bite of blood-sucking arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies. They circulate in tropical or subtropical regions, mainly in Africa, but in recent years we have observed an emergence of these viruses in certain temperate regions. Infection by arboviruses presents a clinical picture that varies according to the virus, ranging from an asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic form to severe forms that can lead to death. In recent years, we have witnessed a re-emergence of arboviruses in West Africa, including Burkina Faso. Our work consisted of assessing the arboviral risk in Burkina Faso through surveillance using a global approach for a certain number of aboviruses which presence had already been identified in Burkina Faso, but also for arboviruses which circulation had never been demonstrated and which circulation we suspected. These were dengue, usutu, West Nile, Zika, o'nyong-nyong and chikungunya viruses. Within the framework of a One Health approach, samples from blood donors, fevers of unknown etiology, animals (horses, dogs, chickens and pigeons) and mosquitoes were collected and screened using molecular (RT-PCR) and serological (ELISA, luminex and serum neutralisation) approaches. The results obtained show the circulation of dengue (serotypes 1, 2, 3 and 4) Usutu, West Nile, Zika, chikungunya and o'nyong-nyong viruses in blood donors. In animals (horses, dogs and pigeons), we showed the circulation of Usutu and West Nile viruses. Our results show the need to strengthen the surveillance system for arboviruses in Burkina Faso.