title: First serological investigation of peste-des-petits-ruminants and Rift Valley fever in Tunisia.
abstract: This study, carried out between September 2006 and January 2007, is the first cross-sectional serological investigation of peste-des-petits-ruminants (PPR) and Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Tunisia. The objective was to assess the potential need to develop a dual, recombinant PPR-RVF vaccine and how such a vaccine might be utilised in Tunisia. An overall PPR seroprevalence of 7.45% was determined, a finding supported by the high specificity (99.4%) and sensitivity (94.5%) of the ELISA used. On assessment of the diversity and density of mosquitoes in the sampling area, four species of RVF-vectors of the genus Aedes and Culex were identified. However, no serological evidence of RVF was found despite the use of a highly sensitive ELISA (99-100%). Larger scale investigations are underway to confirm these findings and the continuation of the emergency vaccination program against these two diseases remains valid.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur de Tunis 13, Place Pasteur, BP 74, 1002 Tunis Belvédère, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Emna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ayari-Fakhfakh
authors.forename: Abdeljelil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghram
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouattour
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Larbi
authors.forename: Latifa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gribâa-Dridi
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kwiatek
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouloy
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Libeau
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albina
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cêtre-Sossah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006041:Goats; D008297:Male; D029021:Peste-des-Petits-Ruminants / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018107:Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus / Q000276:immunology; D012295:Rift Valley Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012296:Rift Valley fever virus / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral