Relevance of the synergy of surveillance and populational networks in understanding the Usutu virus outbreak within common blackbirds (*Turdus merula*) in Metropolitan France, 2018use asterix (*) to get italics
Malika Bouchez-Zacria, Clément Calenge, Alexandre Villers, Sylvie Lecollinet, Gaelle Gonzalez, Benoit Quintard, Antoine Leclerc, Florence Baurier, Marie-Claire Paty, Eva Faure, Cyril Eraud, Anouk DecorsPlease use the format "First name initials family name" as in "Marie S. Curie, Niels H. D. Bohr, Albert Einstein, John R. R. Tolkien, Donna T. Strickland"
<p>Usutu virus (USUV) was first isolated in Africa in 1959 and has since spread to and through Europe with a typical enzootic mosquito-bird cycle. In France, it was first detected in birds in 2015, but during summer 2018 the spread of USUV was particularly significant throughout the country, killing mainly common blackbirds (Turdus merula) and to a lesser extent great grey owls (Strix nebulosa), among other captive and non-captive wild bird species. Previous studies of USUV in France have focused on reconstructing pathways of introduction, but not on structural aspects of virus spread within the country. Data (RT-PCR of geolocated dead birds) on this 2018 outbreak were collected through both an event-based wildlife network named SAGIR and the health surveillance of the French-speaking Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AFVPZ). In addition, common blackbird populations could be monitored through another network (REZOP). Statistical analysis (spatial, temporal, spatiotemporal and environmental determinants) of the SAGIR and AFVPZ network data helped to highlight the early appearance of separate large clusters of USUV cases in mid-July 2018, the subsequent diffusion into smaller and secondary clusters at the end of August 2018, and a meanwhile enlargement of the first clusters with an increase in the number of cases. High human density (top 10.5% densest areas in France) and wetland concentration (top 19.3% most likely wetland areas) were significant factors in USUV case locations. Using generalised additive mixed models on REZOP data, we also highlighted the decline in common blackbird population trends in areas with medium and even more with high USUV pressure (areas defined based on SAGIR-AFVPZ data) following the 2018 outbreak (respectively -7.4% [-11.4; -3.9]_95% and -15.7% [-16.2; -9.1]_95%). A large area (radius ~150 km) in the centre and centre-west of France, and smaller areas in the south-east, north and north-east of France (each with a radius ~ 50 km) were particularly affected. We conclude on the importance to work with synergistic networks to assess infection spread in wild bird species, as well as the negative impact of an emerging arbovirus. The responsiveness of such a network system could be improved by automating alerts.</p>
arbovirus, USUV, participatory program, opportunistic data, population dynamics
Animal diseases, Behaviour of hosts, infectious agents, or vectors, Disease Ecology/Evolution, Ecology of hosts, infectious agents, or vectors, Epidemiology, Geography of infectious diseases, Population dynamics of hosts, infectious agents, or vectors, Vectors, Viruses
Gaël Beaunée gael.beaunee@inrae.fr, Vladimir Grosbois vladimir.grosbois@cirad.fr, Thierry Boulinier thierry.boulinier@cefe.cnrs.fr, Becki Lawson Becki.Lawson@ioz.ac.uk, Giovanni Savini g.savini@izs.it, Lucas Rossi luca.rossi@unito.it, Annick Linden a.linden@uliege.be, Ute Ziegler ute.ziegler@fli.de, JM Rijks J.M.Rijks@uu.nl, Nathalie Charbonnel Nathalie.Charbonnel@inrae.fr, Lawson Becki suggested: Rob Robinson, Franz Rubel suggested: Afonso Dimas Martins a.l.moreiradimasmartins@uu.nl, David Roiz suggested: Miguel Ángel Jiménez Clavero majimenez@inia.es
e.g. John Doe john@doe.com
No need for them to be recommenders of PCIInfections. Please do not suggest reviewers for whom there might be a conflict of interest. Reviewers are not allowed to review preprints written by close colleagues (with whom they have published in the last four years, with whom they have received joint funding in the last four years, or with whom they are currently writing a manuscript, or submitting a grant proposal), or by family members, friends, or anyone for whom bias might affect the nature of the review - see the code of conduct
