Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39173002›Full record

ArticlePloS one2024

Characterization of West Nile virus Koutango lineage from phlebotomine sandflies in Kenya.

Jane Wambui Thiiru, Solomon Langat, Francis Mulwa, Stephanie Cinkovich, Hellen Koka, Santos Yalwala, Samoel Khamadi, Justus Onguso, Nicholas Odemba, Francis Ngere and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Jane Wambui ThiiruDepartment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.ORCID 0009-0001-0046-2147
Solomon LangatCentre for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Francis MulwaCentre for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Stephanie CinkovichGlobal Emerging Infections Surveillance Branch, United States Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America.
Hellen KokaCentre for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Santos YalwalaDepartment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
Samoel KhamadiCentre for Virus Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Justus OngusoInstitute for Biotechnology Research, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.
Nicholas OdembaDepartment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
Francis NgereDepartment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
Jaree JohnsonUnited States Armed Forces Pest Management Board, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America.
Timothy EgboDepartment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
Eric GargesDepartment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
Elly OjwangDepartment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
Fredrick EyaseDepartment of Emerging Infectious Diseases, United States Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The West Nile virus (WNV), primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, is one of the most widespread flaviviruses globally, with past outbreaks occurring in the USA and Europe. Recent studies in parts of Africa, including Kenya, have identified the West Nile virus Koutango lineage (WN-KOUTV) among phlebotomine sandfly populations, however, our understanding of this virus remains limited. This study aimed to characterize WN-KOUTV from phlebotomine sandflies. Sandflies were sampled between 12th -16th March 2021 and 16th -20th March 2023 from six villages each in Baringo and Isiolo Counties, using CDC light traps. Female sandflies were taxonomically identified and pooled based on genus and site of collection. Virus isolation was performed in Vero cells. Viral genomes were determined using next-generation sequencing. Phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses were done to decipher the virus's evolutionary relationships. Comparative analyses of amino acid sequences were performed to determine variations. Protein modeling in Pymol was conducted to elucidate variations in key protein regions. Evolutionary pressure analysis investigated the selection pressures on the virus. In vitro experiments were done to investigate the virus growth kinetics in mammalian Vero E6 and mosquito C6/36 cells. We report the isolation of WN-KOUTV from Salabani in Baringo and Aremet in Isiolo, Kenya. The isolated WN-KOUTVs clustered with previously identified WN-KOUTV strains. Comparative analysis revealed a unique amino acid at NS5 653. The WN-KOUTV lineage as a whole is under purifying selective pressure, with diversifying pressure acting at site NS3 267. The current WN-KOUTV replicated in Vero E6 and C6/36 cells comparable to West Nile virus Lineage 1a, isolated from mosquitoes. Subsequent isolations of WN-KOUTV in phlebotomine sandflies suggest potential vectors, however, vector competence studies would confirm this. Replication in mammalian and insect cell lines suggests there may exist a vector/host relationship. We speculate the close genetic relationship of WN-KOUTV strains from East and West Africa may potentially be enabled by bird migratory routes between the two regions. If proven, this could point to a potential future pandemic pathway for this virus.

Indexed as

PhylogenyPsychodidaeWest Nile virusAnimalsChlorocebus aethiopsFemaleGenome, ViralInsect VectorsKenyaVero CellsWest Nile Fever

Identifiers

PMID39173002
PMCPMC11341046

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.