title: Ebola virus and arthropods: a literature review and entomological consideration on the vector role.
abstract: Ebola virus is a pathogen responsible for a severe disease that affects humans and several animal species. To date, the natural reservoir of this virus is not known with certainty, although it is believed that fruit bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) play an important role in maintaining the virus in nature. Although information on viral transmission from animals to humans is not clear, the role of arthropods has come under suspicion. In this article, we review the potential role of arthropods in spreading Ebola virus, acting as mechanical or biological vectors.
authors.affiliation: Former Entomology Consultant Department of Prevention ASL CN1, Cuneo, Via Papò 4, 12039, Verzuolo (CN), Italy. moreno.dutto@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dutto
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, General Hospital "S. Croce e Carle", Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertero
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Infectious Diseases "L. Spallanzani", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Petrosillo
authors.affiliation: Department Public Health and Infectious Disease, Parasitology unit, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pombi
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otranto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001179:Arthropod Vectors / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology; D001181:Arthropods / Q000821:virology*; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000821:virology; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000502:physiology*; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
keywords: Arthropods; Biological vectors; Chiroptera; Ebola virus (EBOV); Mechanical vectors