We detected West Nile virus (WNV) nucleic acid in crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in Zambia. Phylogenetically, the virus belonged to lineage 1a, which is predominant in the Northern Hemisphere. These data provide evidence that WNV is circulating in crocodiles in Africa and increases the risk for animal and human transmission.
Keywords: Crocodylus niloticus; Flaviviridae; West Nile fever; West Nile virus; Zambia; arboviruses; crocodiles; mosquitoborne disease; vector-borne infections; viruses; zoonoses.