Evidence of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) in Domestic Mice in Gabon: Risk of Emergence of LCMV Encephalitis in Central Africa

Nadine N′dilimabaka (1) , Nicolas Berthet (1, 2) , Virginie Rougeron (1) , Joa Braïthe Mangombi (1) , Durand Patrick (3) , Gael Maganga (1) , Christiane Bouchier (4) , Bradley Schneider (5) , Joseph Fair (5) , François Renaud (3) , Eric M. Leroy (1, 3)

1 CIRMF - Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville
2 CNRS - UMR3569 - Virologie
3 MIVEGEC - Maladies infectieuses et vecteurs : écologie, génétique, évolution et contrôle
4 Génomique (Plate-Forme) - Genomics Platform
5 Metabiota Inc. [San Francisco]

ABSTRACT Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) can cause acute fatal disease on all continents but was never detected in Africa. We report the first detection of LCMV RNA in a common European house mouse ( Mus musculus domesticus ) in Africa. Phylogenetic analyses show a close relationship with North American strains. These findings suggest that there is a risk of the appearance of LCMV acute encephalitis cases. This is a perfect example of virus dissemination by its natural host that may have dramatic public health consequences.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Life Sciences [q-bio]; Microbiology and Parasitology; Life Sciences [q-bio]; Microbiology and Parasitology; Virology

Nadine N′dilimabaka, Nicolas Berthet, Virginie Rougeron, Joa Braïthe Mangombi, Durand Patrick, et al.. Evidence of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) in Domestic Mice in Gabon: Risk of Emergence of LCMV Encephalitis in Central Africa. Journal of Virology, 2015, 89 (2), pp.1456-1460. ⟨10.1128/JVI.01009-14⟩. ⟨pasteur-03516026⟩