@article{fdi:010061863,
  title = {{Z}ika virus in {G}abon ({C}entral {A}frica) - 2007 : a new threat from {A}edes albopictus ?},
  author = {{G}rard, {G}. and {C}aron, {M}. and {M}ombo, {I}. {M}. and {N}koghe, {D}. and {O}ndo, {S}. {M}. and {J}iolle, {D}avy and {F}ontenille, {D}idier and {P}aupy, {C}hristophe and {L}eroy, {E}ric},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground {C}hikungunya and dengue viruses emerged in {G}abon in 2007, with large outbreaks primarily affecting the capital {L}ibreville and several northern towns. {B}oth viruses subsequently spread to the south-east of the country, with new outbreaks occurring in 2010. {T}he mosquito species {A}edes albopictus, that was known as a secondary vector for both viruses, recently invaded the country and was the primary vector involved in the {G}abonese outbreaks. {W}e conducted a retrospective study of human sera and mosquitoes collected in {G}abon from 2007 to 2010, in order to identify other circulating arboviruses. {M}ethodology/{P}rincipal {F}indings {S}ample collections, including 4312 sera from patients presenting with painful febrile disease, and 4665 mosquitoes belonging to 9 species, split into 247 pools (including 137 pools of {A}edes albopictus), were screened with molecular biology methods. {F}ive human sera and two {A}edes albopictus pools, all sampled in an urban setting during the 2007 outbreak, were positive for the flavivirus {Z}ika ({ZIKV}). {T}he ratio of {A}edes albopictus pools positive for {ZIKV} was similar to that positive for dengue virus during the concomitant dengue outbreak suggesting similar mosquito infection rates and, presumably, underlying a human {ZIKV} outbreak. {ZIKV} sequences from the envelope and {NS}3 genes were amplified from a human serum sample. {P}hylogenetic analysis placed the {G}abonese {ZIKV} at a basal position in the {A}frican lineage, pointing to ancestral genetic diversification and spread. {C}onclusions/{S}ignificance {W}e provide the first direct evidence of human {ZIKV} infections in {G}abon, and its first occurrence in the {A}sian tiger mosquito, {A}edes albopictus. {T}hese data reveal an unusual natural life cycle for this virus, occurring in an urban environment, and potentially representing a new emerging threat due to this novel association with a highly invasive vector whose geographic range is still expanding across the globe. {A}uthor {S}ummary {N}ot previously considered an important human arboviral pathogen, the epidemic capacity of {Z}ika virus ({ZIKV}, a dengue-related flavivirus) was revealed by the {M}icronesia outbreak in 2007, which affected about 5000 persons. {W}idely distributed throughout tropical areas of {A}sia and {A}frica, {ZIKV} is transmitted by a broad range of mosquito species, most of which are sylvatic or rural, {A}edes aegypti, an anthropophilic and urban species, being considered the main {ZIKV} epidemic vector. {I}n a context of emerging arbovirus infections (chikungunya ({CHIKV}) and dengue ({DENV})) in {G}abon since 2007, we conducted a retrospective study to detect other, related viruses. {I}n samples collected during the concurrent {CHIKV}/{DENV} outbreaks that occurred in the capital city in 2007, we detected {ZIKV} in both humans and mosquitoes, and notably the {A}sian mosquito {A}edes albopictus that recently invaded the country and was the main vector responsible for these outbreaks. {W}e found that the {G}abonese {ZIKV} strain belonged to the {A}frican lineage, and phylogenetic analysis suggested ancestral diversification and spread rather than recent introduction. {T}hese findings, showing for the first time epidemic {ZIKV} activity in an urban environment in {C}entral {A}frica and the presence of {ZIKV} in the invasive mosquito {A}edes albopictus, raise the possibility of a new emerging threat to human health.},
  keywords = {{GABON}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {N}eglected {T}ropical {D}iseases},
  volume = {8},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {e2681 [6 ]},
  ISSN = {1935-2735},
  year = {2014},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0002681},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010061863},
}