Seroprevalence of arboviruses among blood donors in French Polynesia, 2011-2013.
OBJECTIVE
French Polynesia is a high epidemic/endemic area for arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses). We recently reported the silent circulation of Ross River virus and absence of active transmission of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) among blood donors sampled before the emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) and CHIKV in French Polynesia. In this study, the prevalence of the four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV) and the occurrence of circulation of other arboviruses were investigated in blood donors in French Polynesia.


METHODS
Serum samples from 593 blood donors collected between July 2011 and October 2013 were tested by ELISA for the presence of immunoglobulin G antibodies against each of the four DENV serotypes, ZIKV, Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), and West Nile virus (WNV).


RESULTS
It was found that 80.3%, 0.8%, 1.3%, and 1.5% of blood donors were seropositive for at least one DENV serotype, ZIKV, JEV, and WNV, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
These results corroborate the expected high transmission of DENV and conversely suggest that no active circulation of ZIKV, JEV, and WNV occurred in French Polynesia before 2011. Information provided by this study may be useful for public health authorities to improve surveillance and implement strategies to prevent the transmission of arboviruses.
Unit of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institut Louis Malardé, PO Box 30, 98713 Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia. Electronic address: maubry@ilm.pf.
Maite
M
Aubry
Hochschule Emden/Leer, Emden, Germany.
Jérôme
J
Finke
Unit of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institut Louis Malardé, PO Box 30, 98713 Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Anita
A
Teissier
Unit of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institut Louis Malardé, PO Box 30, 98713 Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Claudine
C
Roche
Centre de Transfusion Sanguine de la Polynésie Française, Hôpital du Taaone, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Julien
J
Broult
Unité Hépacivirus et Immunité Innée, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Sylvie
S
Paulous
Unité Hépacivirus et Immunité Innée, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France; UMR PIMIT (12T) Université de La Réunion, Sainte-Clotilde, France.
Philippe
P
Desprès
Unit of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institut Louis Malardé, PO Box 30, 98713 Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Van-Mai
VM
Cao-Lormeau
Unit of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institut Louis Malardé, PO Box 30, 98713 Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Didier
D
Musso
D001102:Arbovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D001103:Arboviruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001782:Blood Donors; D006801:Humans; D011114:Polynesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
Arboviruses; Blood donors; Dengue; French Polynesia; Pacific; Seroprevalence