EPIDEMIOLOGY OF NGARI VIRUS (BUNYAVIRIDAE , BUNYAVIRUS) - FIRST ISOLATIONS FROM HUMANS IN SENEGAL, NEW MOSQUITO VECTORS

Ngari virus (NRI) (Bunyaviridae, genus Bunyavirus) was isolated first from male Aedes simpsoni mosquitoes in Southeastern Senegal in 1979. T hen, if was recovered from several mosquito species in Senegal, Burkin a Faso, Central African Republic and Madagascar. A potential pathogeni city of NRI vines in humans was suspected when The virus was isolated from two patients in Dakar in October and November 1993. The large div ersity of Culicidae vectors and feeding patterns showed a large hetero geneity of vertebrate hosts. The wide geographical distribution of NRI virus in different bioclimatic areas indicated an important adaptibil ity of the virus. Ngari virus epidemiology will need further investiga tions in order to approach the real pathogenicity of such emerging vir us.