AUTHOR=Akinsulie Olalekan Chris , Adesola Ridwan Olamilekan , Bakre Adetolase , Adebowale Oluwawemimo Oluseun , Adeleke Richard , Ogunleye Seto Charles , Oladapo Ifeoluwa Peace 

TITLE=Usutu virus: An emerging flavivirus with potential threat to public health in Africa: Nigeria as a case study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1115501

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2023.1115501

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<p>Usutu virus (USUV) is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) of the flaviviridae family (genus <italic>Flavivirus</italic>) which belong to the Japanese encephalitis virus complex. Culex mosquitoes have been implicated in the transmission of this pathogen. The major susceptible hosts of USUV are migratory birds, thereby potentiating its ability to spread from one region to another globally. Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa with a significant percentage of the gross domestic product relying on the agricultural and animal production industry. This review explores the zoonotic potentials of the virus in Africa, especially Nigeria, with special focus on the devastating sequelae this might lead to in the future if necessary precautionary policies are not enacted and adopted to bolster the surveillance system for mosquito-borne viruses.</p>