Tunis virus: a new Phlebovirus from Argas reflexus hermanni ticks in Tunisia
Chastel, C.; Bach-Hamba, D.; Karabatsos, N.; Bouattour, A.; Le Lay, G.; Le Goff, F.; Vermeil, C.
Acta Virologica 38(5): 285-289
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-723X PMID: 7726003 Document Number: 431380
A new Phlebovirus, provisionally named Tunis virus, was isolated from Argas reflexus hermanni ticks parasitizing domestic pigeons (Columba livia). It is the first isolation of an arbovirus from Tunisia and the 4th tick-borne virus to be isolated from the Maghreb following Soldado, Essaouira and Kala Iris in Morocco. The pathogenic potential of this virus is briefly discussed according to the behaviour of its vector and previous serosurveys in the country.