Molecular epidemiology and pathogenicity of Wesselsbron virus circulating in Africa.

ABSTRACT: Wesselsbron is a neglected, mosquito-borne zoonotic disease transmitted by several species of virus-infected Aedes mosquitoes endemic to tropical regions in Africa. It affects primarily domestic livestock species with teratogenic effects, but can jump to humans. Herein, we investigated the molecular epidemiology of Wesselsbron virus in Africa using whole genome sequencing and structural analysis, and assessed its pathogenicity and tropism through in vivo experiments. A total of twenty-five isolates collected from three countries were successfully characterized. Our study is noteworthy by identifying, for the first time, inter-clade recombination events on the genome of Wesselsbron virus. However, more investigations on the precise molecular mechanisms conducting the occurrence of recombina

SUBMITTER: Faye M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11615586 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature