{
  "abstract": "West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) are mainly avian mosquito-borne pathogens, increasingly cause human and equine disease in temperate regions. Mostly asymptomatic, current surveillance in France is reactive, based on clinical and veterinary reports, delaying signals for vector control and preventative interventions. We implemented in Southern France, in 2024 and 2025, a proactive surveillance methodology combining molecular xenomonitoring of mosquito excreta and environmental water detection of viral RNA in wetlands and mosquito larval habitat, through a multiplex reverse transcription digital PCR workflow. The analytics process was characterised through the limits of blank, detection, and quantification. Low-level positives were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. WNV and USUV RNA repeated detections revealed previously unrecognized, cryptic circulations up to 19 weeks before the first WNV human cases and equine alert. Environmental surveillance represents a paradigm shift for early detection of emerging Culex-borne arboviruses and a key enabler of proactive and effective One Health responses. Author summary: West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) are mosquito-borne flaviviruses maintained in enzootic cycles involving birds and mosquitoes, with incidental infections in humans and horses. Because most infections are asymptomatic, viral circulation often remains undetected until the onset of clinical cases, limiting the timeliness of current surveillance systems.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "ALTOPICTUS, Pérols, France.",
    "IAGE, Ingénierie et Analyse en Génétique Environnementale, Montpellier, France.",
    "GIS OBEPINE+, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.",
    "UMR, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic and Emerging Infections, Montpellier, France.",
    "Unité de Parasitologie et Entomologie, Département des Maladies Infectieuses, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Marseille, France.",
    "Aix Marseille Université, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, UMR Vecteurs - Infections Tropicales et Méditerranéennes (VITROME), IHU - Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France."
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 14,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Julien Mocq",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4492-8815"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Julie Raymond"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Karine Bolloré"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Anaïs Fossot"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Rachel Beaubaton"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Alexandre Lepeule"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Cécile Gruet"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Franz Durandet"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jeanne Hanin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Guillaume Lacour"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Albin Fontaine"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Olivier Courot"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Antoine Mignotte"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Yannick Simonin"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/05qpszsgrpbsf.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pntd.0014799",
  "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014799",
  "id": "05qpszsgrpbsf",
  "issns": [
    "1935-2735",
    "1935-2727"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014799",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2739|Mosquito-borne diseases and control"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Life cycles/Larvae"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Microbiology/Medical microbiology/Microbial pathogens/Viral pathogens/Flaviviruses/West Nile virus"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Invertebrates/Arthropoda/Insects/Mosquitoes"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Equines"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Viruses/RNA viruses/Flaviviruses/West Nile virus"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Viruses/Viral pathogens/Flaviviruses/West Nile virus"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Physiological processes/Excretion"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Species interactions/Disease vectors/Insect vectors/Mosquitoes"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Invertebrates/Arthropoda/Insects/Mosquitoes"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Vertebrates/Amniotes/Mammals/Equines"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Entomology/Insects/Mosquitoes"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Geomorphology/Topography/Landforms/Wetlands"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Hydrology/Surface water"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Earth sciences/Marine and aquatic sciences/Aquatic environments/Freshwater environments/Wetlands"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Ecology and environmental sciences/Aquatic environments/Freshwater environments/Wetlands"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Epidemiology/Disease surveillance/Infectious disease surveillance"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Infectious diseases/Disease vectors/Insect vectors/Mosquitoes"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Infectious diseases/Infectious disease control/Infectious disease surveillance"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pathology and laboratory medicine/Pathogens/Microbial pathogens/Viral pathogens/Flaviviruses/West Nile virus"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220658612",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014799&type=printable",
  "pmcid": "PMC13657283",
  "pmid": "42837413",
  "published": "2026-10-06",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/05qpszsgrpbsf.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:36Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pntd.0014799",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014799"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42837413",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42837413"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:zoology",
      "subfield": "zoology-behaviour"
    },
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:infectious diseases",
      "subfield": "infectious-disease"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Early-warning surveillance of West Nile and Usutu viruses in wetland and larval habitat waters and in mosquito excreta using digital PCR",
  "title_text": "Early-warning surveillance of West Nile and Usutu viruses in wetland and larval habitat waters and in mosquito excreta using digital PCR",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/05qpszsgrpbsf",
  "venue": "PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases",
  "versions": []
}