Vector-Borne Transmission of the Zika Virus Asian Genotype in Europe

Guillaume Durand (1, 2) , Géraldine Piorkowski (2) , Laurence Thirion (2) , Laetitia Ninove (2) , Sandra Giron (3) , Christine Zandotti (2) , Jessica Denis (1, 4) , Cyril Badaut (1, 4) , Anna-Bella Failloux (5) , Gilda Grard (2, 1) , Isabelle Leparc-Goffart (1, 2) , Xavier de Lamballerie (2)

1 IRBA - Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées [Antenne Marseille]
2 UVE - Unité des Virus Emergents
3 Santé publique France - French National Public Health Agency [Saint-Maurice, France]
4 Unité de Biothérapies anti-Infectieuses et Immunité [Brétigny-sur-Orge]
5 Arbovirus et Insectes Vecteurs - Arboviruses and Insect Vectors

Three autochthonous cases of Zika virus occurred in southern France in August 2019. Diagnosis relied on serology and transcription-mediated amplification. Attempts for virus isolation and ZIKV genome RT-PCR detection remained negative. Since the index case was not identified, we addressed the issue of genotyping and geographical origin by performing hemi-nested PCR and sequencing in the Pr gene. Analysis of 16 genotype-specific Single Nucleotides Polymorphisms identified the Asian genotype and suggested a Southeast Asia origin.

Keywords: arbovirus; zika; France; Aedes albopictus; autochthonous transmission; genotyping

Domains: Virology

Guillaume Durand, Géraldine Piorkowski, Laurence Thirion, Laetitia Ninove, Sandra Giron, et al.. Vector-Borne Transmission of the Zika Virus Asian Genotype in Europe. Viruses, 2020, 12 (3), pp.296. ⟨10.3390/v12030296⟩. ⟨pasteur-02641461⟩