Epidemiology of West Nile virus in Africa: An underestimated threat

This study provides an insight into the investigation carried out on West Nile virus (WNV) in Africa, highlighting several knowledge gaps regarding, firstly the current WNV distribution and genetic diversity, its ecology and transmission chains including the role of different arthropods and vertebrate species as competent reservoirs, and the real disease burden for humans and animals. This review highlights the needs for further research and coordinated surveillance efforts on WNV in Africa.

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus which has been posing continuous challenges to public health worldwide due to the identification of new lineages and clades and its ability to invade and establish in an increasing number of countries. Its current distribution, genetic variability, ecology, and epidemiological pattern in the African continent are only partially known despite the consensus on the urgency to obtain such information for quantifying the actual disease burden in Africa other than to predict future threats at global scale.