Risk assessment of a Zika-like virus

The Spondweni virus (SPONV) was first isolated in Nigeria in 1952 from the blood of a ten-year-old child with fever and headache. SPONV belongs to the Flaviviridae to the genus Orthoflavivirus and together with the closely related Zika virus (ZIKV) the Spondweni serogroup. The SPONV genome consists of a linear, single-stranded RNA of positive polarity. SPONV is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and possibly also in the Caribbean (Haiti). In addition to humans, SPONV has been isolated from various mosquito species. Virus-specific antibodies against SPONV have also been detected in birds, small mammals, and ruminants. Mice and non-human primates have been experimentally infected with SPONV. Since the discovery of SPONV, six human cases of infection have been described, including two laboratory infections. It is likely that further SPONV infections have gone undetected because they were misdiagnosed as ZIKV cases. In the six described cases, the infection was mostly associated with Fever , nausea, headache, muscle and joint pain, and conjunctivitis are common. Fatal cases have not been reported.

The transmission of SPONV is probably caused by Mosquitoes . A study on immunocompromised mice also showed that sexual transmission SPONV transmission cannot be ruled out, as the virus was detected in the testes and, in some animals, also in the ejaculate. Human cases of sexual transmission of SPONV have not yet been described.

According to Section 5 Paragraph 1 GenTSV in conjunction with the criteria in Annex 1 GenTSV, the Spondweni virus is used by the ZKBS as a donor and recipient organism for genetic engineering work by Risk group 2 The justification states that SPONV has a broad host range, which includes various mosquito species, humans, other mammals, and birds. The virus has a comparable risk potential to the closely related ZIKV (risk group 2). SPONV infection can cause mild to moderate disease in humans, but according to current knowledge, there are no fatal outcomes.

The ZKBS statement can be found at File number 402.08020204.0005.0001 can be retrieved.