Culex pipiens
                    distribution in Tunisia: Identification of suitable areas through Random Forest and MaxEnt approaches

Jihane Amdouni; Annamaria Conte; Carla Ippoliti; Luca Candeloro; Susanna Tora; Soufien Sghaier; Thameur Ben Hassine; Emna Ayari Fakhfekh; Giovanni Savini; Salah Hammami

doi:10.1002/vms3.897

journal article Open Access Aug 25, 2022

Culex pipiens distribution in Tunisia: Identification of suitable areas through Random Forest and MaxEnt approaches

Jihane Amdouni

Annamaria Conte

Carla Ippoliti

Luca Candeloro Susanna Tora Soufien Sghaier Thameur Ben Hassine

Emna Ayari Fakhfekh Giovanni Savini

Salah Hammami

Veterinary Medicine and Science Vol. 8 No. 6 pp. 2703-2715 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/vms3.897

Abstract

Abstract

Background

Tunisia has experienced several West Nile virus (WNV) outbreaks since 1997. Yet, there is limited information on the spatial distribution of the main WNV mosquito vector
Culex pipiens
suitability at the national level.

Objectives

In the present study, our aim was to predict and evaluate the potential and current distribution of
Cx. pipiens
in Tunisia.

Methods

To this end, two species distribution models were used, i.e. MaxEnt and Random Forest. Occurrence records for
Cx. pipiens
were obtained from adult and larvae sampled in Tunisia from 2014 to 2017. Climatic and human factors were used as predictors to model the
Cx. pipiens
geographical distribution. Mean decrease accuracy and mean decrease Gini indices were calculated to evaluate the importance of the impact of different environmental and human variables on the probability distribution of
Cx. pipiens
.

Results
Suitable habitats were mainly distributed next to oases, in the north and eastern part of the country. The most important predictor was the population density in both models. The study found out that the governorates of Monastir, Nabeul, Manouba, Ariana, Bizerte, Gabes, Medenine and Kairouan are at highest epidemic risk.

Conclusions

The potential distribution of
Cx. pipiens
coincides geographically with the observed distribution of the disease in humans in Tunisia. Our study has the potential for driving control effort in the fight against West Nile vector in Tunisia.

Topics

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Details

Published: Aug 25, 2022
Vol/Issue: 8(6)
Pages: 2703-2715
License: View

Authors

J

Jihane Amdouni

Université Tunis El Manar, Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie Tunis Tunisie

A

Annamaria Conte

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’ Teramo Italy

C

Carla Ippoliti

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’ Teramo Italy

L

Luca Candeloro

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’ Teramo Italy

S

Susanna Tora

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’ Teramo Italy

S

Soufien Sghaier

Université Tunis El Manar, Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie Tunis Tunisie

T

Thameur Ben Hassine

Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet Univ. Manouba IRESA Tunisie

E

Emna Ayari Fakhfekh

Université Tunis El Manar, Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie Tunis Tunisie

G

Giovanni Savini

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’ Teramo Italy

S

Salah Hammami

Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet Univ. Manouba IRESA Tunisie

Funding

Ministero della Salute

International Atomic Energy Agency

Cite This Article

Jihane Amdouni, Annamaria Conte, Carla Ippoliti, et al. (2022). Culex pipiens distribution in Tunisia: Identification of suitable areas through Random Forest and MaxEnt approaches. Veterinary Medicine and Science, 8(6), 2703-2715. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.897

Culex pipiens distribution in Tunisia: Identification of suitable areas through Random Forest and MaxEnt approaches

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