Analyse du modèle de corégulation de la sécurité sanitaire des produits de la pêche au Maroc à travers l'exemple des dangers «histamine», «parasites» et «sulfites»

Co-regulation in food safety represents the shared responsibility between food business operators and the competent authority (CA) to ensure food safety and to comply with the health requirements of importing countries. The evolution of food regulation on one hand and the quality assurance of the veterinary services of the ONSSA according to the ISO 17020 standard on the other hand, need studying the regulation model adopted at national level. The objective of this work is to analyze the main health risks associated with fishery products from a co-regulatory perspective. The hazards targeted by this study are histamine, parasites and sulfites. The approach is based on structured interviews with fishery products professionals and veterinary inspectors responsible for control and certification. The main hazards are controlled by adopting health control plans (PMS) by the professionals within the establishments as well as the official control carried out by the inspecting veterinarians. The PMS implementation can produce conflicting injunctions for the veterinary inspectors of the competent authority. Keywords: Co-regulation, fishery products, food safety, PMS, risk, ONSSA, Morocco.La corégulation en sécurité sanitaire des produits alimentaires implique une responsabilité partagée entre les opérateurs économiques du secteur alimentaire et l’autorité compétente en vue de maîtriser la sécurité sanitaire et être conforme aux exigences sanitaires des pays importateurs. L’évolution de la réglementation alimentaire d’une part et la mise sous assurance qualité des services vétérinaires de l’ONSSA selon la norme ISO 17020 d’autre part, nécessite d’étudier le modèle de régulation adopté au niveau national. L’objectif de ce travail est d’analyser les principaux risques sanitaires liés aux produits de la pêche dans le cadre de l’approche de corégulation. Les dangers ciblés par cette étude sont l’histamine, les parasites et les sulfites. L’approche se base sur la réalisation d’entretiens structurés auprès des professionnels des produits de la pêche et des vétérinaires inspecteurs chargés du contrôle et de la certification. Les principaux dangers sont maîtrisés par l’adoption de plans de maîtrise sanitaire (PMS) par les professionnels au sein des établissements ainsi que le contrôle officiel effectué par les vétérinaires inspecteurs. La mise en place du PMS dans les établissements peut produire des injonctions contradictoires pour les vétérinaires inspecteurs de l’autorité compétente. Mots clés: Corégulation, produits de la pêche, sécurité sanitaire, risque, PMS, ONSSA, Maroc. &nbsp

Colonization of the Mediterranean Basin by the vector biting midge species Culicoides imicola: an old story

Understanding the demographic history and genetic make-up of colonizing species is critical for inferring population sources and colonization routes. This is of main interest for designing accurate control measures in areas newly colonized by vector species of economically important pathogens. The biting midge Culicoides imicola is a major vector of Orbiviruses to livestock. Historically, the distribution of this species was limited to the Afrotropical region. Entomological surveys first revealed the presence of C. imicola in the south of the Mediterranean basin by the 1970's. Following recurrent reports of massive bluetongue outbreaks since the 1990s, the presence of the species was confirmed in northern areas. In this study, we addressed the chronology and processes of C. imicola colonization in the Mediterranean basin. We characterized the genetic structure of its populations across Mediterranean and African regions using both mitochondrial and nuclear markers, and combined phylogeographical analyses with population genetics and approximate Bayesian computation. We found a west/east genetic differentiation between populations, occurring both within Africa and within the Mediterranean basin. We demonstrated that three of these groups had experienced demographic expansions in the Pleistocene, probably because of climate changes during this period. Finally, we showed that C. imicola could have colonized the Mediterranean basin in the late Pleistocene or early Holocene through a single event of introduction; however we cannot exclude the hypothesis involving two routes of colonization. Thus, the recent bluetongue outbreaks are not linked to C. imicola colonization event, but rather to biological changes in the vector or the virus

Etablissement d'un modèle de prédiction de la Bluetongue basé sur les données météorologiques et de télédétection, cas de la région Fès-Meknès

Bluetongue (BT) is an infectious, arthropod borne viral disease of domestic and wild ruminants. BT is a notifiable disease of huge socio-economic concern and of major importance in the international trade of animals and animal products. However, no study has yet been carried out to propose a tool to anticipate the occurrence of the disease. The objective of this study is to perform a mathematical model for predicting suitable areas for the appearance of bluetongue disease. This model will allow the monitoring and management of this animal disease. The creation of this model is based on epidemiological data collected in the field. These are combined with two other types of data: Remote Sensing (vegetation index, altitude) and climate (temperature, rainfall). The model performed is based on logistic regression. The assumption about its validity was examined by testing many combinations based on modeling and validation on data of 2006 and 2009 in Fès-Meknès region. The validation rates obtained are between 73 % and 80 %. This approach requires, in order to be effectively used as an early warning and risk management tool by animal health decision-makers, an efficient and real-time collection of epidemiological field data.  Keywords: Epidemiology, modeling, bluetongue, Remote Sensing, logistic regression, animal health, prediction.La fièvre catarrhale ovine (ou Bluetongue) est une maladie virale des ruminants domestiques et sauvages qui peut causer des pertes économiques énormes. Ces dernières années, elle a sérieusement impacté la production animale au Maroc. Étant donné qu’il s’agit d’une maladie vectorielle, il est possible de proposer un outil d’anticipation de l’apparition de la Bluetongue en localisant les sites les plus susceptibles d’accueillir le vecteur porteur de cette maladie.  Puisqu’aucune étude dans ce sens n’a été réalisée au niveau national, l’objectif de travail est donc d’établir un modèle mathématique de prédiction des zones favorables à l’apparition de la Bluetongue. Ce modèle aidera au suivi et la gestion de cette maladie animale. L’établissement de ce modèle est basé sur les données épidémiologiques recueillies sur le terrain combinées à deux autres types de données: de télédétection (l’indice de végétation, l’altitude) et climatiques (température, pluviométrie). Le modèle créé dans le cadre de ce travail se base sur la régression logistique. L’hypothèse concernant sa validité a été examinée en testant plusieurs combinaisons basées sur la modélisation et la validation sur des données de 2006 et 2009 de la région Fès-Meknès. L’étude a pu démontrer que la meilleure façon pour modéliser cette maladie est d’alimenter régulièrement le modèle dynamique par les données les plus récentes sur l’apparition de la maladie. Les taux de validation obtenus sont situés entre 73 % et 80 %. Dans la perspective d’améliorer ce travail, Il serait intéressant aussi d’étudier le sens de propagation de cette maladie en introduisant d’autres facteurs comme l’hydrographie, la direction et la vitesse du vent. Mots clés: Épidémiologie, Modélisation, Bluetongue, Télédétection, régression logistique, maladie animale, prédiction, Maroc. &nbsp

First record of Stegomyia albopicta (= Aedes albopictus) in Morocco: a major threat to public health in North Africa?

The Asian tiger mosquito Stegomyia albopicta (= Aedes albopictus) (Diptera: Culicidae), native to Asian forests, is a nuisance mosquito and is responsible for the transmission of arboviruses of public health importance, such as dengue, chikun- gunya and Zika viruses. It has colonized parts of all continents, except Antarctica, over the past 30–40 years. However, to date, the only records of S. albopicta in North Africa refer to occasional collections in 2010 and 2014 in Algeria. In early September 2015, S. albopicta larvae and adults were collected in a district of Rabat, Morocco. Morpho- ogical identfication was confirmed by molecular analysis. This is the first record of this invasive mosquito in Morocco. A national surveillance programme will be imple- mented in 2016 to establish its geographical distribution in Morocco and to instigate control measures to prevent the establishment of new populations and the transmission of arboviruses

Update of the species checklist of Culicoides Latreille, 1809 biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) of Morocco

Update of the species checklist of Culicoides Latreille, 1809 biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) of Morocc

Asian Lineage of Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus, Africa

Interest in peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) has been stimulated by recent changes in its host and geographic distribution. For this study, biological specimens were collected from camels, sheep, and goats clinically suspected of having PPRV infection in Sudan during 2000–2009 and from sheep soon after the first reported outbreaks in Morocco in 2008. Reverse transcription PCR analysis confirmed the wide distribution of PPRV throughout Sudan and spread of the virus in Morocco. Molecular typing of 32 samples positive for PPRV provided strong evidence of the introduction and broad spread of Asian lineage IV. This lineage was defined further by 2 subclusters; one consisted of camel and goat isolates and some of the sheep isolates, while the other contained only sheep isolates, a finding with suggests a genetic bias according to the host. This study provides evidence of the recent spread of PPRV lineage IV in Africa

Range expansion of the Bluetongue vector, Culicoides imicola, in continental France likely due to rare wind-transport events

The role of the northward expansion of Culicoides imicola Kieffer in recent and unprecedented outbreaks of Culicoides-borne arboviruses in southern Europe has been a significant point of contention. We combined entomological surveys, movement simulations of air-borne particles, and population genetics to reconstruct the chain of events that led to a newly colonized French area nestled at the northern foot of the Pyrenees. Simulating the movement of air-borne particles evidenced frequent wind-transport events allowing, within at most 36 hours, the immigration of midges from north-eastern Spain and Balearic Islands, and, as rare events, their immigration from Corsica. Completing the puzzle, population genetic analyses discriminated Corsica as the origin of the new population and identified two successive colonization events within west-Mediterranean basin. Our findings are of considerable importance when trying to understand the invasion of new territories by expanding species

Incriminating bluetongue virus vectors with climate envelope models

1 The spread of vector-borne diseases into new areas, commonly attributed to environmental change or increased trade and travel, could be exacerbated if novel vector species in newly invaded areas spread infection beyond the range of traditional vectors. 2 By analysing the differential degree of overlap between the environmental envelopes for bluetongue, a devastating livestock disease, and its traditional (Afro-Asian) and potential new (Palearctic) midge vectors, we have implicated the latter in the recent dramatic northward spread of this disease into Europe. 3 The traditional vector of bluetongue virus, the Afro-Asian midge Culicoides imicola, was found to occur in warm (annual mean 12–20 °C), thermally stable locations that were dry in summer (< 400 mm precipitation). The Palearctic C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris complexes were both found to occur in cooler (down to 7 °C annual mean), thermally more variable and wetter (up to 700 mm summer precipitation) locations. 4 Of 501 recorded outbreaks from the 1998–2004 bluetongue epidemic in southern Europe, 40% fall outside the climate envelope of C. imicola, but within the species’ envelopes of the C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris complexes. 5 The distribution in multivariate environmental space of bluetongue virus is closer to that of the Palaearctic vectors than it is to that of C. imicola. This suggests that Palearctic vectors now play a substantial role in transmission and have facilitated the spread of bluetongue into cooler, wetter regions of Europe. 6 Synthesis and applications. The risk to Northern Europe now depends on how much of the distributions of the widespread, abundant Palearctic midge vectors (the C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris complexes) bluetongue can occupy, perhaps determined by thermal constraints on viral replication. This was highlighted by the sudden appearance in summer 2006 of bluetongue virus at latitudes of more than 50° North – approximately 6° further North than previous outbreaks in southern Europe. Future surveillance for bluetongue and for related Culicoides-borne pathogens should include studies to record and explain the distributional patterns of all potential Palearctic vector species

Incriminating bluetongue virus vectors with climate envelope models

[eng] Summary 1 The spread of vector‐borne diseases into new areas, commonly attributed to environmental change or increased trade and travel, could be exacerbated if novel vector species in newly invaded areas spread infection beyond the range of traditional vectors. 2 By analysing the differential degree of overlap between the environmental envelopes for bluetongue, a devastating livestock disease, and its traditional (Afro‐Asian) and potential new (Palearctic) midge vectors, we have implicated the latter in the recent dramatic northward spread of this disease into Europe. 3 The traditional vector of bluetongue virus, the Afro‐Asian midge Culicoides imicola, was found to occur in warm (annual mean 12-20 °C), thermally stable locations that were dry in summer (< 400 mm precipitation). The Palearctic C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris complexes were both found to occur in cooler (down to 7 °C annual mean), thermally more variable and wetter (up to 700 mm summer precipitation) locations. 4 Of 501 recorded outbreaks from the 1998-2004 bluetongue epidemic in southern Europe, 40% fall outside the climate envelope of C. imicola, but within the species' envelopes of the C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris complexes. 5 The distribution in multivariate environmental space of bluetongue virus is closer to that of the Palaearctic vectors than it is to that of C. imicola. This suggests that Palearctic vectors now play a substantial role in transmission and have facilitated the spread of bluetongue into cooler, wetter regions of Europe. 6 Synthesis and applications. The risk to Northern Europe now depends on how much of the distributions of the widespread, abundant Palearctic midge vectors (the C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris complexes) bluetongue can occupy, perhaps determined by thermal constraints on viral replication. This was highlighted by the sudden appearance in summer 2006 of bluetongue virus at latitudes of more than 50° North - approximately 6° further North than previous outbreaks in southern Europe. Future surveillance for bluetongue and for related Culicoides‐borne pathogens should include studies to record and explain the distributional patterns of all potential Palearctic vector species