CASTEL G - cbgp

guillaume.castel@inrae.fr

+33 4 99 62 33 12

All members

Guillaume CASTEL

Research manager, INRAE

Area(s)

3 - Ecology and evolution of zoonoses

Collective responsibility(ies)

Scientific manager BSL-2

The main focus of my research is the analysis of viral diversity in hantaviruses and the evolutionary processes that shape it. The availability of an increasing number of viral genome sequences, thanks to new high-throughput sequencing (NGS) techniques, now provides us with a wealth of genetic information on these viruses. In particular, I use phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches to study and trace the evolutionary history of these viruses, their origin and spread, and to establish their mode of transmission.

The aim of my research is to characterise the distribution and genetic diversity of these zoonotic viruses transmitted by rodents, which cause haemorrhagic fevers with renal syndrome in humans, and to identify the biological and/or environmental factors that influence the evolution of the virus. Our fieldwork is carried out in France and Africa, where the circulation of these viruses remains poorly understood. A better understanding of these mechanisms will enable us to better predict their spread and, ultimately, to develop more appropriate prevention policies.

Keywords: viral zoonoses, hantaviruses, phylogeny, small mammals

Beaubaton R., Revel J., Pigeyre L., Bollore K., Lepeule A., Mocq J., de Franceschi C., Pradel J., Perrin Y., Gomis D., Ducousso M., Virolle L., Chenet B., Castel G., Charmantier A., Charbonnel N., Lacour G., Courot O., Mignotte A. & Simonin Y. 2025. Tracking the urban spread of Usutu virus in southern France: Detection across biological and environmental matrices. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 19 : e0013506. (https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013506)

Garona J., Berard* A., Tatard C., Kwasiborski A., Gauthier P., Ag Atteynine S., Hourdel V., Eusebe A., Diagne C., Caro V., Brouat C., Charbonnel N., Sauvage V., Granjon L. & Castel G. 2025. Detection of two zoonotic pathogens, Seoul orthohantavirus and pathogenic Leptospira, in rats of Bamako, Mali (2021−2023). One Health 20 : 101085. (https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101085)

Alburkat H., Smura T., Bouilloud* M., Pradel J., Anfray G., Berthier K., Dutra L., Loiseau A., Niamsap T., Olander V., Sepulveda D., Venkat V., Charbonnel N., Castel G. & Sironen T. 2024. Evolution and genetic characterization of Seoul virus in wild rats Rattus norvegicus from an urban park in Lyon, France 2020-2022. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 18 : e0012142. (https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012142)

Arpin I., Massart C., Bourret V., Castel G., Colombo V.C., Eccard J., Firozpoor J., Grzybek M., Henttonen H.A., Leirs H., McManus A., Roche B., Sironen T., Sluydts V., Stuart P., Zintl A. & Charbonnel N. 2024. Achieving inter- and transdisciplinarity in Ecohealth: insights from a rodent-borne disease project in a polycrisis era. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11 : 1235183. (https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1235183)

Rosenbaum W., Bovinder Ylitalo E., Castel G., Sjodin A., Larsson P., Wigren Bystrom J., Forsell M.N.E., Ahlm C., Pettersson L. & Tuiskunen Back A. 2024. Hybrid capture-based next-generation sequencing of new and old world Orthohantavirus strains and wild-type Puumala isolates from humans and bank voles. Journal of Clinical Virology 172 : 105672. (https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2024.105672)

Castel G., Alburkat H., Tatard C., Dutra L., Criado M., Bouilloud* M., Pradel J., Sironen T. & Charbonnel N. 2023. Puumala orthohantavirus circulation in its wild reservoir, the bank vole, during the 2021 outbreak of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Jura, France. Infectious Diseases Now 53 : 104767. (https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.idnow.2023.104767)

Castel G., Filippone C., Tatard C., Vigan J. & Dobigny G. 2023. Role of seaports and imported rats in Seoul hantavirus circulation, Africa. Emerging Infectious Diseases 29 : 20-25. (https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2901.221092)

Dorkeld F., Streiff R., Castel G., Sauné L., Ogliastro M. & Kerdelhué C. 2023. Sequence, assembly and count datasets of viruses associated to the pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae) identified from transcriptomic high-throughput sequencing. Data in Brief 48 : 109180. (https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109180)

Bourret V., Dutra L., Alburkat H., Maki S., Lintunen E., Wasniewski M., Kant R., Grzybek M., Venkat V., Asad H., Pradel J., Bouilloud* M., Leirs H., Colombo V.C., Sluydts V., Stuart P., McManus A., Eccard J.A., Firozpoor J., Imholt C., Nowicka J., Goll A., Ranc N., Castel G., Charbonnel N. & Sironen T. 2022. Serologic surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 infection among wild rodents, Europe. Emerging Infectious Diseases 28 : 2577-2580. (https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2812.221235)

Pradel J., Bouilloud* M., Loiseau A., Piry S., Galan M., Artige E., Castel G., Ferrero J., Gallet R., Thuel G., Vieira N. & Charbonnel N. 2022. Small terrestrial mammals (Rodentia and Soricomorpha) along a gradient of forest anthropisation (reserves, managed forests, urban parks) in France. Biodiversity Data Journal 10 : e95214. (https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.10.e95214)