@article{PAR00014085,
  title = {{F}austovirus-like {A}sfarvirus in hematophagous biting midges and their vertebrate hosts},
  author = {{T}emmam, {S}. and {M}onteil-{B}ouchard, {S}. and {S}ambou, {M}. and {A}ubadie-{L}adrix, {M}. and {A}zza, {S}. and {D}ecloquement, {P}. and {K}halil, {J}. {Y}. {B}. and {B}audoin, {J}. {P}. and {J}ardot, {P}. and {R}obert, {C}. and {L}a {S}cola, {B}. and {M}ediannikov, {O}. {Y}. and {R}aoult, {D}idier and {D}esnues, {C}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{F}austovirus, a new {A}sfarviridae-related giant virus, was recently isolated in {V}ermamoeba vermiformis, a protist found in sewage water in various geographical locations and occasionally reported in human eye infection cases. {A}s part of a global metagenomic analysis of viral communities existing in biting midges, we report here for the first time the identification and isolation of a {F}austovirus-like virus in hematophagous arthropods and its detection in their animal hosts. {T}he {DNA} virome analysis of three pools of {C}ulicoides sp., engorged female {C}ulicoides imicola and non-engorged male/female {C}. imicola biting midges collected in {S}enegal, revealed the presence of amoeba-infecting giant viruses and, among them, a majority of sequences related to {F}austovirus. {P}hylogenetic analyses conducted on several structural genes of {F}austovirus confirmed the clustering of the arthropod borne {F}austovirus with sewage borne {F}austoviruses, with a distinct geographical clustering of {S}enegalese {F}austovirus strains. {T}ransmission electron microscopy identified viral particles with morphologies and diameters which were compatible with {F}austovirus. {T}he presence of infectious arthropod-borne {F}austovirus was finally confirmed by successful isolation on {V} vermiformis amoeba. {G}lobal proteomic analysis of biting midges identified that arthropods' blood meal originating from cattle, rodents and humans. {F}urther screening of cattle sera and rodent tissue resulted in prevalence of {F}austovirus being estimated at 38% in rodents and 14% in cattle, suggesting a possible origin of {F}austovirus presence in arthropods via the ingestion of contaminated blood meal. {V}iral loads were the highest in rodents' urine and kidney samples, suggesting a possible excretion of viral particles into the environment. {F}austovirus {DNA} polymerase-related sequences were also detected in more than 9 and 11% of febrile patients and healthy {S}enegalese human sera, respectively. {O}ur study thus, highlights the need to investigate the role of arthropods, wildlife, and domestic animals in the lifecycle of amoeba-infecting giant viruses and, in particular, the environmental cycle of {F}austovirus.},
  keywords = {biting midges ; giant virus ; faustovirus ; bloodmeal host ; environment},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{F}rontiers in {M}icrobiology},
  volume = {6},
  numero = {},
  pages = {art. 1406},
  ISSN = {1664-302{X}},
  year = {2015},
  DOI = {10.3389/fmicb.2015.01406},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00014085},
}