Arboviruses and lemurs in Madagascar: experimental infection of Lemur fulvus with attenuated strains of yellow fever virus

Experimental infections of the malagasy Lemur fulvus have been carried out with two yellow fever virus attenuated strains (17D and FNV vaccine strains). A viremia is detected, with FNV virus only, between the 1rst and 11th day after inoculation. Haemagglutination inhibiting, complement fixing and neutralizing antibodies appear around the 10th day; the study of their dynamics shows their persistence through less than 6 months. These preliminary experiments are the first of a series of infections of malagasy lemurs by several Flaviviruses. The results might allow to evaluate the epidemiological role played by these prosimian primates in the arbovirus cycles in Madagascar.