Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Unit of Vector Ecology, Tunis 1002, Tunisia.
Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia.
Viruses. 2022 Apr 26;14(5):904. doi: 10.3390/v14050904.
A novel phlebovirus, Punique virus (PUNV), was discovered and isolated in 2008 from sandflies from Northern Tunisia. PUNV is now classified as a unique member of the Punique phlebovirus species within the Phlebovirus genus in the Phenuiviridae family (order bunyavirales). In this study, we aimed to investigate the transmission dynamics of PUNV in Tunisia. Sandflies were collected during two consecutive years, 2009 and 2010, by CDC light traps. In 2009, a total of 873 sandflies were collected and identified to the species level. Phlebotomus perniciosus was the most abundant species. One pool of P. perniciosus females collected in autumn contained PUNV RNA, yielding an infection rate of 0.11%. The population densities of circulating sandfly species were assessed during May-November 2010 in Northern Tunisia by using sticky traps. Phlebotomus (Larroussius) perniciosus (71.74%) was the most abundant species, followed by Phlebotumus (Larroussius) longicuspis (17.47%), and Phlebotumus (Larroussius) perfiliewi (8.82%). The densities of dominant sandfly species were found to peak in early spring and again in the autumn. In 2010, species identification was not performed, and sandflies were only discriminated on the basis of sex and collection date. Out of 249 pools, three contained PUNV RNA. Each positive pool allowed virus isolation. The three pools of female sandflies containing PUNV RNA were collected in autumn with an infection rate of 0.05%. These findings provide further evidence that P. perniciosus is the main vector of PUNV in Tunisia, and this phlebovirus is endemic in Tunisia. Our findings provided strong evidence of intensive circulation of PUNV in sandflies and hosts through a viral infection buildup process between sandfly vectors and hosts starting at the beginning of the activity of sandflies in spring to reach a maximum during the second main peak in autumn.
一种新型沙粒病毒，蓬尼克病毒（PUNV），于 2008 年在突尼斯北部的沙蝇中被发现和分离。PUNV 现被分类为在蚊媒病毒科（布尼亚病毒目）中的蓬尼克沙粒病毒属中的一个独特的蓬尼克沙粒病毒种。在这项研究中，我们旨在调查 PUNV 在突尼斯的传播动态。2009 年和 2010 年，通过 CDC 诱捕器连续两年收集沙蝇。2009 年，共收集并鉴定了 873 只沙蝇。珀氏沙蝇是最丰富的物种。在秋季收集的一组珀氏沙蝇雌性中含有 PUNV RNA，感染率为 0.11%。2010 年 5 月至 11 月，在突尼斯北部通过粘性诱捕器评估了循环沙蝇种的种群密度。珀氏沙蝇（71.74%）是最丰富的物种，其次是长刺沙蝇（17.47%）和普罗菲勒伊沙蝇（8.82%）。优势沙蝇种的密度被发现于早春和秋季再次达到高峰。2010 年，未进行种的鉴定，仅根据性别和采集日期对沙蝇进行区分。在 249 个池中，有 3 个含有 PUNV RNA。每个阳性池都允许病毒分离。在含有 PUNV RNA 的 3 个雌性沙蝇池中，感染率为 0.05%，于秋季采集。这些发现进一步证明，珀氏沙蝇是突尼斯 PUNV 的主要媒介，这种沙粒病毒在突尼斯流行。我们的研究结果提供了强有力的证据，证明 PUNV 在沙蝇和宿主中通过一种病毒感染积累过程进行密集循环，该过程始于沙蝇活动开始时，到秋季第二个主要高峰时达到最大值。
