SPONDWENI VIRUS INFECTION IN A FOREIGN RESIDENT OF UPPER VOLTA

doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(82)91511-2

The Lancet

Volume 320, Issue 8311, 11 December 1982, Pages 1306-1308

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(82)91511-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

Spondweni virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus previously reported to cause human disease in Southern and West Africa. A serologically confirmed case of Spondweni virus infection in a U.S. citizen residing in Upper Volta is reported. Symptoms included fever, chills, headache, myalgia, nausea, and rash. A greyish mucoid lining was present on the posterior pharynx. The differential diagnosis included rickettsial infection, leptospirosis, typhoid fever, and numerous viral illnesses including Lassa fever. Evidence of Spondweni virus infection was also found in two other U.S. citizens residing in Gabon and Cameroon. Spondweni virus might be a cause of acute febrile illness throughout West Africa, and its presence should be considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile illness and in antibody surveys in that region.

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Cited by (25)

Quantitative real time PCR detection of Saboya virus: A flavivirus member of yellow fever genetic group
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The genus Flavivirus in the Flaviridae contains arthropod born viruses associated with high public health burdens like Zika, Dengue or Yellow fever. Saboya virus (SABV) is an understudied flavivirus grouping in the same genetic sub-group as Yellow Fever Virus (YFV) together with Sepik virus (SEPV) and Wesselbron virus (WSLV). Flavivirus infections are characterized by non-specific clinical presentations resulting in a high risk of misdiagnosis. SABV virus has been shown to circulate in the Sahelian zone and in central Africa. To study this virus we a qRT-PCR system based on TaqMan chemistry was developed to allow rapid and specific detection of SABV. The SABV assay was evaluated on available SABV isolates and others flaviviruses (DENV, ZIKV, YFV, WNV, KEDV). The system reliably detected all used SABV strains without cross amplification of other flaviviruses. In term of sensitivity the SABV assay detect up to 40.25 copies of SABV standard DNA molecule per ul. This system can be easily added to the available panel of arboviruses detection assays as a reliable tool to study virus prevalence in human, vertebrate and insect-vector samples.
Spondweni virus causes fetal harm in Ifnar1<sup>−/−</sup> mice and is transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
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Citation Excerpt :
To do this, SPONV would need to fulfill two major criteria: it would need to be vertically transmitted and cause fetal harm, and be transmitted between humans by the urban mosquito vector Aedes aegypti, which is associated with large-scale outbreaks of related arboviruses. The first identification of SPONV was thought to have occurred in 1955 in South Africa (Theiler and Downs, 1973; Wolfe et al., 1982). However, it was later recognized that SPONV was in fact isolated three years earlier in Nigeria, but was misidentified at the time as a strain of ZIKV because of serological cross-reactivity (Haddow et al., 1964; Simpson, 1964; Draper, 1965).
Spondweni virus (SPONV) is the most closely related known flavivirus to Zika virus (ZIKV). Its pathogenic potential and vector specificity have not been well defined. SPONV has been found predominantly in Africa, but was recently detected in a pool of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in Haiti. Here we show that SPONV can cause significant fetal harm, including demise, comparable to ZIKV, in a mouse model of vertical transmission. Following maternal inoculation, we detected infectious SPONV in placentas and fetuses, along with significant fetal and placental histopathology, together suggesting vertical transmission. To test vector competence, we exposed Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes to SPONV-infected bloodmeals. Aedes aegypti could efficiently transmit SPONV, whereas Culex quinquefasciatus could not. Our results suggest that SPONV has the same features that made ZIKV a public health risk.
Multiplex real-time RT-PCR for detection and distinction of Spondweni and Zika virus
2019, Journal of Virological Methods
Zika (ZIKV) and Spondweni viruses (SPOV) are closely related mosquito borne flaviviruses in the Spondweni serogroup. The co-circulation and similar disease presentation following ZIKV and SPOV infection necessitates the development of a diagnostic tool for their simultaneous detection and distinction. We developed a one-step multiplex real-time RT-PCR (ZIKSPOV) to detect and distinguish between SPOV and ZIKV by utilizing a single primer set combined with virus specific hydrolysis probes. The ZIKSPOV assay was compared to published virus specific real-time RT-PCR assays and the limit of detection was comparable. The SPOV reference strain AR94 was detectable to 0.001 TCID₅₀ per PCR reaction, while African lineage ZIKV (MR 766) was detectable to 0.002 TCID₅₀ per reaction and Asian lineage ZIKV (H/PF/2013) to 0.05 TCID₅₀ per reaction. The ZIKSPOV assay did not detect other flaviviruses, indicative of its specificity for Spondweni serogroup. The ZIKSPOV assay is a useful addition to arbovirus diagnostic and surveillance tools in areas where ZIKV and SPOV are expected to co-circulate. Further evaluation is required to demonstrate the application of the assay for detection of ZIKV and SPOV in mosquito and human clinical samples.
Assessing the zoonotic potential of arboviruses of African origin
2018, Current Opinion in Virology
Citation Excerpt :
Banzi and Spondweni viruses [37] are considered rare with only a few cases reported historically mostly in laboratory workers [38]. Spondwenivirus neurological infection in travellers to West Africa raised concern about its potential to emerge internationally [39]. Vector competence studies suggested low susceptibility to Aedes eagypti, A. albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus [40].
Several African arboviruses have emerged over the past decade in new regions where they caused major outbreaks in humans and/or animals including West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus and Zika virus. This raise questions regarding the importance of less known zoonotic arboviruses in local epidemics in Africa and their potential to emerge internationally. Syndromic surveillance in animals may serve as an early warning system to detect zoonotic arbovirus outbreaks. Rift Valley fever and Wesselsbronvirus are for example associated with abortion storms in livestock while West Nile-virus, Shuni virus and Middelburg virus causes neurological disease outbreaks in horses and other animals. Death in birds may signal Bagaza virus and Usutu virus outbreaks. This short review summarise data on less known arboviruses with zoonotic potential in Africa.
Zika Virus Targets Human STAT2 to Inhibit Type i Interferon Signaling
2016, Cell Host and Microbe
Citation Excerpt :
ZIKV is a mosquito-borne member of the Spondweni virus (SPOV) group. Both ZIKV and SPOV were known to cause limited, sporadic outbreaks in Africa and Southeast Asia (Haddow et al., 2012; Wolfe et al., 1982). However, ZIKV has emerged in the South Pacific and South and Central America associated with sustained transmission affecting an estimated 0.5 to 1.5 million people.
The ongoing epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) illustrates the importance of flaviviruses as emerging human pathogens. All vector-borne flaviviruses studied thus far have to overcome type I interferon (IFN) to replicate and cause disease in vertebrates. The mechanism(s) by which ZIKV antagonizes IFN signaling is unknown. Here, we report that the nonstructural protein NS5 of ZIKV and other flaviviruses examined could suppress IFN signaling, but through different mechanisms. ZIKV NS5 expression resulted in proteasomal degradation of the IFN-regulated transcriptional activator STAT2 from humans, but not mice, which may explain the requirement for IFN deficiency to observe ZIKV-induced disease in mice. The mechanism of ZIKV NS5 resembles dengue virus (DENV) NS5 and not its closer relative, Spondweni virus (SPOV). However, unlike DENV, ZIKV did not require the E3 ubiquitin ligase UBR4 to induce STAT2 degradation. Hence, flavivirus NS5 proteins exhibit a remarkable functional convergence in IFN antagonism, albeit by virus-specific mechanisms.
Zika virus infection-the next wave after dengue?
2016, Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Citation Excerpt :
The genomes of the three human isolates of Zika virus are 10,676 bp in size, which is comparable to other members of Flaviviridae.31 Zika virus is phylogenetically closest to the Spondweni virus, which is also a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has been found to cause a febrile illness in Africa.32 Several flaviviruses are noted for their propensity to cause central nervous system infections, in particular, encephalitis (Table 1).
Zika virus was initially discovered in east Africa about 70 years ago and remained a neglected arboviral disease in Africa and Southeast Asia. The virus first came into the limelight in 2007 when it caused an outbreak in Micronesia. In the ensuing decade, it spread widely in other Pacific islands, after which its incursion into Brazil in 2015 led to a widespread epidemic in Latin America. In most infected patients the disease is relatively benign. Serious complications include Guillain–Barré syndrome and congenital infection which may lead to microcephaly and maculopathy. Aedes mosquitoes are the main vectors, in particular, Ae. aegypti. Ae. albopictus is another potential vector. Since the competent mosquito vectors are highly prevalent in most tropical and subtropical countries, introduction of the virus to these areas could readily result in endemic transmission of the disease. The priorities of control include reinforcing education of travellers to and residents of endemic areas, preventing further local transmission by vectors, and an integrated vector management programme. The container habitats of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus means engagement of the community and citizens is of utmost importance to the success of vector control.

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SPONDWENI VIRUS INFECTION IN A FOREIGN RESIDENT OF UPPER VOLTA

Abstract

Trans Roy Soc Trop Med Hyg

Trans Roy Soc Trop Med Hyg

Trans Roy Soc Trop Med Hyg

Trans Roy Soc Trop Med Hyg

Isolation of Spondweni virus from four species of culicine mosquitoes and a report of two laboratory infections with the virus

S Afr Med J

Medicine in the tropics

Techniques for hemagglutination and hemagglutination- inhibition with arthropod-borne viruses

Am J Trop Med Hyg

Standardised diagnostic complement fixation method and adaptation to micro test

Publ Hlth Monogr

Serum dilution neutralisation test for California group virus identification and serology

J Clin Micrabiol