Equine influenza outbreak in Eastern of Algeria in 2021: The first introduction of Florida Clade 1 to Maghreb area

Hadda Kareche; José-Carlos Valle-Casuso; Anthony Madeline; Delphine Froger; Fanny Lecouturier; Gaëlle Gonzalez; Abdelaali Debbi; Saber Taqiyeddine Benseghir; Abdelkrim Mohamed Nasri; Moundher Boureghda; Abdelhamid Achouri; Farouk Laabassi

doi:10.1016/j.cimid.2023.102109

Equine influenza outbreak in Eastern of Algeria in 2021: The first introduction of Florida Clade 1 to Maghreb area

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2024 Jan:104:102109. doi: 10.1016/j.cimid.2023.102109. Epub 2023 Dec 4.

Affiliations

¹ PIAD Research Team, ESPA Laboratory, Department of Veterinary, Institute of Veterinary Sciences and Agronomic Sciences, University of Batna-1, 05000 Batna, Algeria.
² ANSES-Laboratory for Animal Health in Normandy, Physiopathology and Epidemiology of Equine Diseases Unit, Goustranville, France.
³ Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR VIROLOGIE, Animal Health Laboratory, Maisons-Alfort, France.
⁴ Private Veterinary Clinic, 05400 Barika, Algeria.
⁵ Private Veterinary Clinic, 34000 Bordj Bou Arréridj, Algeria.
⁶ Equine Veterinary Clinic, Hocine El Mansour Stud, 27000 Mostaganem, Algeria.
⁷ Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University of Ibn Khaldoun, 14000 Tiaret, Algeria.
⁸ Department of Veterinary Sciences, Institute of Agronomics Sciences and Veterinary Sciences, University of Mohamed Chérif Messaadia, 41000 Souk Ahras, Algeria.
⁹ PIAD Research Team, ESPA Laboratory, Department of Veterinary, Institute of Veterinary Sciences and Agronomic Sciences, University of Batna-1, 05000 Batna, Algeria. Electronic address: farouk.laabassi@univ-batna.dz.

PMID: 38118336
DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2023.102109

Abstract

We have performed an equine influenza (EI) serological study of the equine population in Algeria by testing 298 serum samples collected between February and August 2021 from 5 provinces. The results were obtained performing an NP-ELISA. Our results revealed that 49.3% (147/298) samples positive for antibodies to EI (H3N8). During this study and after a gap of one decade an outbreak of EI was reported in Algeria in the first week of March 2021. The disease was confirmed by virus detection from the nasal swabs (n = 39) by qRT-PCR and by identifying 5 EI seroconversion. The virus sequences were identified as H3N8 by sequencing the haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes. Alignment of HA1 amino acid sequence confirmed that viruses belong to Clade 1 of the Florida sublineage in the American lineage. This study indicate the first detection of FC1 strain of EIV in Maghreb area.

Keywords: Algeria; Equine influenza H3N8; Florida clade 1; NP-ELISA; Phylogeny; Sero-epidemiology.

MeSH terms

Africa, Northern
Algeria / epidemiology
Animals
Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
Horse Diseases* / diagnosis
Horses
Humans
Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype* / genetics
Influenza, Human* / epidemiology
Orthomyxoviridae Infections* / epidemiology
Orthomyxoviridae Infections* / veterinary
Phylogeny