Bernard Célia, Apolloni Andrea, Grosbois Vladimir, Peyraud Armelle, Saengram Phonsiri, Jori Ferran, Faure Eva, Keck Nicolas, Pin Raphaëlle, Ferraris Olivier, Comtet Loic, Combes Benoit, Bastien Matthieu, Chauvin Valentin, Guerrini Laure, Holzmuller Philippe, Vial Laurence
CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France.
ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France.
PLoS One. 2025 Sep 24;20(9):e0331875. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0331875. eCollection 2025.
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne zoonosis of major public health concern, not only because of its potential for severe outcomes in humans, but also due to its endemic presence in many regions and its expanding geographic distribution. We report on the first serological survey conducted in mainland France to detect antibodies against the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) in domestic and wild fauna, and provides critical insights into the virus's circulation. We analyzed 8,609 cattle sera and 2,182 wildlife sera collected across the French Mediterranean region from 2008 to 2022, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and pseudo-plaque reduction neutralization tests (PPRNT) for antibody detection and confirmation. Seropositivity was detected in both cattle (2.04%) and wildlife (2.25%), with higher rates observed in specific regions including the Pyrénées-Orientales and Hautes-Pyrénées. These findings reveal spatial clusters of CCHFV circulation and suggest the existence of enzootic transmission cycles involving local tick vectors and animal hosts. Our multivariate analysis identified key factors that influence seropositivity, including animal age, habitat characteristics, and potential wildlife interactions. The presence of natural open habitats and coniferous forests was significantly associated with higher seropositivity in cattle, while sex and geographical variability played a role in wildlife seroprevalence. These findings highlight the importance of environmental and anthropogenic factors in shaping the dynamics of CCHFV transmission. This work demonstrates that CCHFV is actively circulating in parts of mainland France, emphasizing the need for enhanced surveillance and integrated approaches to monitor zoonotic pathogens. It also raises questions about the role of additional tick vectors, such as Hyalomma lusitanicum, in the transmission cycle. These results advance our understanding of CCHF epidemiology and offer valuable guidance for public health strategies to mitigate the risks associated with this emerging disease.
克里米亚-刚果出血热（CCHF）是一种由蜱传播的人畜共患病，引起了重大公共卫生关注，这不仅是因为它可能在人类中导致严重后果，还由于它在许多地区呈地方流行状态且地理分布不断扩大。我们报告了在法国大陆进行的首次血清学调查，以检测家畜和野生动物中针对克里米亚-刚果出血热病毒（CCHFV）的抗体，并为该病毒的传播提供了关键见解。我们分析了2008年至2022年期间在法国地中海地区收集的8609份牛血清和2182份野生动物血清，采用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）和伪蚀斑减少中和试验（PPRNT）进行抗体检测和确认。在牛（2.04%）和野生动物（2.25%）中均检测到血清阳性，在包括东比利牛斯省和上比利牛斯省在内的特定地区观察到更高的阳性率。这些发现揭示了CCHFV传播的空间聚集，并表明存在涉及当地蜱媒和动物宿主的动物源传播循环。我们的多变量分析确定了影响血清阳性的关键因素，包括动物年龄、栖息地特征和潜在的野生动物相互作用。天然开放栖息地和针叶林的存在与牛的血清阳性率较高显著相关，而性别和地理变异性在野生动物血清流行率中起作用。这些发现突出了环境和人为因素在塑造CCHFV传播动态中的重要性。这项工作表明CCHFV正在法国大陆部分地区活跃传播，强调了加强监测和采用综合方法监测人畜共患病原体的必要性。它还引发了关于其他蜱媒，如卢西塔尼亚璃眼蜱，在传播循环中的作用的问题。这些结果推进了我们对CCHF流行病学的理解，并为减轻与这种新兴疾病相关风险的公共卫生策略提供了有价值的指导。
