%0 Journal Article %T Genetic characterization of Chikungunya virus in the Central African Republic. %+ Institut Pasteur de Bangui %+ Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes (EPVO (UMR_3569 / U-Pasteur_3)) %+ Cellule d'Intervention Biologique d'Urgence - Laboratory for Urgent Response to Biological Threats (CIBU) %A Desdouits, Marion %A Kamgang, Basile %A Berthet, Nicolas %A Tricou, Vianney %A Ngoagouni, Carine %A Gessain, Antoine %A Manuguerra, Jean-Claude %A Nakouné, Emmanuel %A Kazanji, Mirdad %Z This study was supported by the Pasteur Institute of Bangui, the International Network of Pasteur Institutes (Actions concertées Inter-Pasteuriennes, ACIP n ° A12-12) and the Programme Transversal de Recherche (CEVACAR No. 385) financed by the Institut Pasteur (Paris, France). %< avec comité de lecture %@ 1567-1348 %J Infection, Genetics and Evolution %I Elsevier %V 33 %P 25-31 %8 2015-07 %D 2015 %R 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.04.006 %M 25911440 %K Central African Republic %K Chikungunya virus %K Genetic variability %Z Life Sciences [q-bio] %Z Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/VirologyJournal articles %X Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus transmitted by the bite of mosquito vectors. Over the past 10 years, the virus has gained mutations that enhance its transmissibility by the Aedes albopictus vector, resulting in massive outbreaks in the Indian Ocean, Asia and Central Africa. Recent introduction of competent A. albopictus vectors into the Central African Republic (CAR) pose a threat of a Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) epidemic in this region. We undertook this study to assess the genetic diversity and background of CHIKV strains isolated in the CAR between 1975 and 1984 and also to estimate the ability of local strains to adapt to A. albopictus. Our results suggest that, local CHIKV strains have a genetic background compatible with quick adaptation to A. albopictus, as previously observed in other Central African countries. Intense surveillance of the human and vector populations is necessary to prevent or anticipate the emergence of a massive CHIKF epidemic in the CAR. %G English %L pasteur-01443281 %U https://pasteur.hal.science/pasteur-01443281 %~ PASTEUR %~ UNIV-PARIS7 %~ RIIP %~ CNRS %~ RIIP_BANGUI %~ UNIV-PARIS %~ UP-SCIENCES %~ EPI-PHYS-VIR-ONC %~ PASTEUR_UMR3569