@article{fdi:010093342,
  title = {{S}eroepidemiological reconstruction of long-term {R}ift {V}alley fever virus circulation in {N}ouakchott, {M}auritania},
  author = {{B}aragatti, {M}. and {A}bdoullah, {B}. and {G}omez, {N}. and {A}yhan, {N}. and {C}harrel, {R}. and {B}asco, {L}eonardo and {B}oukhary, {A}. {O}. {M}. {S}. and {B}riolant, {S}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground {A}lthough {R}ift valley fever ({RVF}) is endemic in {M}auritania, with 8 epidemics documented since 1987, infections among human populations, particularly in {N}ouakchott, the capital city of {M}auritania, remain limited. {T}he objectives of the present study were to assess the seroprevalence of {RVF} in humans and reconstruct the epidemiological history of {RVF} virus ({RVFV}) circulation within the city. {M}ethods {U}sing data from a cross-sectional and descriptive serological study among asymptomatic subjects conducted in {N}ouakchott in 2021, a mathematical model was developed to trace the seroepidemiological evolution of {RVFV} between 1927 and 2020 in the capital city. {R}esults {A} total of 1319 participants were included, of whom 12.0% (158/1319) were positive for anti-{RVFV} immunoglobulin {G} ({I}g{G}). {S}ex, age group, district of residence, and use of mosquito nets or repellents at night were not statistically associated ({P} > .05) with anti-{RVFV} {I}g{G} positivity. {U}sing the {H}amiltonian {M}onte {C}arlo algorithm, posterior estimates of annual infection rates and probabilities of annual outbreak were calculated. {T}he model suggested the absence of {RVFV} circulation before 1960, and the estimated outbreaks were concentrated between 1960 and 1972 and between 2017 and 2020. {D}iscussion {T}he present study provides the first overview of the evolution of {RVF} epidemiology in {N}ouakchott and the serological evidence that {RVFV} has been circulating in human populations in {N}ouakchott for a longer period of time than previously thought. {T}herefore, close surveillance in animals, humans, and mosquito vectors is necessary to detect the presence of {RVFV} and interrupt any future epidemics in the country.},
  keywords = {{R}ift {V}alley fever ; {A}frica ; {M}auritania ; {N}ouakchott ; seroepidemiology ; {MAURITANIE} ; {NOUAKCHOTT}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {I}nfectious {D}iseases},
  volume = {[{E}arly access]},
  numero = {},
  pages = {[9 p.]},
  ISSN = {0022-1899},
  year = {2025},
  DOI = {10.1093/infdis/jiaf108},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010093342},
}