Publications by authors named "Ikhlass El Berbri"
Blood-feeding arthropods are involved in the transmission of several pathogens that have a major impact on public health. Entomological investigations highlighted the composition, abundance, and diversity of flying hematophagous arthropods at four dog shelters located in central Morocco during an eight-month study, with the aim of discussing their vectorial roles and assessing the risk of these shelters as foci for zoonotic diseases. Monitoring of the arthropod fauna for 64 catch nights resulted in the collection of 2,321 biting midges (Ceratopogonidae), 570 mosquitoes (Culicidae), and 475 sand flies (Psychodidae).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent studies that investigated the origins of SRLV strains offered new insights into their distribution among domestic ruminants. The aim of the study was to investigate SRLV circulation in Morocco. A total of 51 farms were selected in different geographical locations and tested by screening and genotyping ELISA.
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- * A study captured over 2000 female midges between 2018 and 2021, finding that 81.8% of them tested positive for bluetongue virus, demonstrating successful virus replication in their bodies.
- * Higher infection rates were observed in the spring and autumn across the study, especially in species C. imicola and C. newsteadi, indicating a significant risk of viral transmission in the region.
Bluetongue is an arthropod-borne viral disease transmitted by Culicoides biting midges, affecting domestic and wild ruminants. The current study aims to assess the seroprevalence of the bluetongue virus (BTV) and confirm its active circulation among sheep and goats populations in Morocco, as well as study the risk factors associated with BTV infection. To this end, a total of 1651 samples were randomly collected from 1376 sheep and 275 goats in eight (out of 12) regions of the country between March 2018 and July 2021.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aims to characterize the spatial distribution of animal rabies in Morocco in order to provide appropriate control approaches. Descriptive analyses of the epidemiological data show that the number of reported canine rabies cases greatly underestimates the true incidence of the disease. Underreporting subsequently affects the coherence of its spatial distribution.
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- The study was part of the ICONZ project aimed at controlling three dog-transmitted diseases (rabies, leishmaniasis, and echinococcosis) in Sidi Kacem Province, Morocco, using an Integrated Control Intervention (ICI) over 13 months.
- A total of 6922 dogs were registered, with 4519 vaccinated against rabies and 2885 people participating in health education, while treated villages also used anti-sandfly collars and dewormed dogs.
- Results showed a 65% rabies vaccination rate, over 44% reduced risk of leishmaniasis with collars, some decrease in echinococcosis infections, improved health knowledge among locals, but persistent
The present study is the first to investigate Border disease caused by the sheep pestivirus (SPV) in sheep herds in Morocco. Sero-epidemiological investigations were carried out in six regions of the Kingdom, known as important in terms of sheep breeding. A total of 760 blood samples were collected including aborted ewes from 28 randomly selected farms.
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- Understanding MERS-CoV in dromedary camels is crucial because they are a source of zoonotic infections in humans.
- A study was conducted in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Morocco, revealing the highest MERS-CoV RNA rates in Ethiopia (15.7%), followed by Burkina Faso (12.2%) and Morocco (7.6%).
- Factors like the purpose of breeding (milk/meat vs. transport) and herd size influenced infection rates, with younger camels and larger herds showing higher MERS-CoV seropositivity.
Cystic Echinococcosis is a parasitic disease caused by the cestode Echinococcus granulosus widely distributed in Africa. Monitoring of this parasite requires access to cyst samples on intermediate hosts observed at the slaughterhouse. In order to facilitate sampling in the field and analysis, the French National Reference Laboratory for Echinococcus spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study traces the biosocial dynamics of Echinococcus granulosus - a zoonotic tapeworm spread between dogs, livestock and people - at slaughterhouses in Morocco. One of the most important parasitic zoonoses worldwide, this neglected cestode is responsible for a debilitating, potentially life-threatening, human disease and significant livestock production losses. Transmission can be interrupted, among other ways, by restricting dogs from eating cyst-infected livestock viscera.
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- This study investigates the transmission of cystic echinococcosis in the Sidi Kacem Province of Morocco over four years, focusing on community knowledge and abattoir practices.
- Findings reveal that only 50% of locals have heard of the disease, with just 21% recognizing the role of dogs in its transmission, highlighting a gap in awareness.
- The high prevalence of the disease is attributed to factors including the large number of dogs, risky local behaviors, and inadequate abattoir infrastructure, posing significant risks for rural communities.