Dataset Information

Complete genome and molecular epidemiological data infer the maintenance of rabies among kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) in Namibia.

ABSTRACT: Rabies in kudu is unique to Namibia and two major peaks in the epizootic have occurred since it was first noted in 1977. Due to the large numbers of kudu that were affected, it was suspected that horizontal transmission of rabies occurs among kudu and that rabies was being maintained independently within the Namibian kudu population - separate from canid cycles, despite geographic overlap. In this study, it was our aim to show, through phylogenetic analyses, that rabies was being maintained independently within the Namibian kudu population. We also tested, through complete genome sequencing of four rabies virus isolates from jackal and kudu, whether specific mutations occurred in the virus genome due to host adaptation. We found the separate grouping of all rabies isolates from kudu to those of any other canid species in Namibia, suggesting that rabies was being maintained independently in kudu. Additionally, we noted several mutations unique to isolates from kudu, suggesting that these mutations may be due to the adaptation of rabies to a new host. In conclusion, we show clear evidence that rabies is being maintained independently in the Namibian kudu population - a unique phenomenon with ecological and economic impacts.

SUBMITTER: Scott TP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3604114 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Complete genome and molecular epidemiological data infer the maintenance of rabies among kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) in Namibia.

Scott Terence P TP Fischer Melina M Khaiseb Siegfried S Freuling Conrad C Höper Dirk D Hoffmann Bernd B Markotter Wanda W Müller Thomas T Nel Louis H LH

PloS one 20130320 3

Rabies in kudu is unique to Namibia and two major peaks in the epizootic have occurred since it was first noted in 1977. Due to the large numbers of kudu that were affected, it was suspected that horizontal transmission of rabies occurs among kudu and that rabies was being maintained independently within the Namibian kudu population - separate from canid cycles, despite geographic overlap. In this study, it was our aim to show, through phylogenetic analyses, that rabies was being maintained inde ...[more]

PMID: 23527015

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Project description:Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease that causes a heavy burden on societies. Namibia, a country in southern Africa, is aiming at controlling the disease in its main reservoir, the domestic dog. To facilitate the implementation comprehensive information on the ecology and epidemiology of the disease and surveillance is of utmost importance. The study presented assesses the baseline data for both human and animal rabies surveillance in Namibia in recent times and establishes correlations with ecological and socio-economic data in order to provide an up-to-date picture on the epidemiology of rabies in Namibia. For instance, it was important to identify the main drivers in the epidemiology, and whether the control strategy by mass vaccination of dogs is undermined by cycles of rabies in wildlife. Rabies in humans was reported mainly from the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs), with a total of 113 cases from 2011 to 2017, representing an incidence of between 1.0 and 2.4 annual human rabies deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Kavango, the region with the highest human rabies incidence was also the region with the lowest animal rabies surveillance intensity. Generally, the vast majority (77%) of dog samples originated from communal farm land, followed by urban areas (17%), while only a small fraction (3%) was submitted from freehold farm areas. In contrast, kudu and eland submissions were almost exclusively from freehold farmland (76%) and urban areas (19%), whereas the submission of cattle samples was evenly distributed among freehold farms (46%) and communal farm land (46%). The likelihood of sample submission decreased exponentially with distance to one of the two laboratories. Overall, 67% (N = 1,907) of all samples submitted tested rabies-positive, with the highest positivity rate observed in kudus (89%) and jackals (87%). The transmission cycle of rabies in dogs appears restricted to the northern communal areas of Namibia, whilst rabies in wildlife species is predominately reported from farmland in central Namibia, mostly affecting kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) and livestock with a likely reservoir in wildlife canids such as jackals or bat-eared foxes. The analysis confirms the presence of two independent transmission cycles in Namibia with little geographic overlap, thus allowing for a sustainable control of rabies in dogs in the NCAs.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Rabies in China remains a public health problem. In 2014, nearly one thousand rabies-related deaths were reported while rabies geographic distribution has expanded for the recent years. This report used surveillance data to describe the epidemiological characteristics of human rabies in China including determining high-risk areas and seasonality to support national rabies prevention and control activities. METHODS:We analyzed the incidence and distribution of human rabies cases in mainland China using notifiable surveillance data from 1960-2014, which includes a detailed analysis of the recent years from 2004 to 2014. RESULTS:From 1960 to 2014, 120,913 human rabies cases were reported in mainland China. The highest number was recorded in 1981(0.7/100,000; 7037 cases), and in 2007(0.3/100,000; 3300 cases). A clear seasonal pattern has been observed with a peak in August (11.0% of total cases), Human rabies cases were reported in all provinces with a yearly average of 2198 from 1960 to 2014 in China, while the east and south regions were more seriously affected compared with other regions. From2004 to 2014, although the number of cases decreased by 65.2% since 2004 from 2651 to 924 cases, reported areas has paradoxically expanded from 162 prefectures to 200 prefectures and from southern to the central and northern provinces of China. Farmers accounted most of the cases (65.0%); 50-59 age group accounted for the highest proportion (20.5%), and cases are predominantly males with a male-to-female ratio of 2.4:1 on average. CONCLUSIONS:Despite the overall steady decline of cases since the peak in 2007, the occurrence of cases in new areas and the spread trend were obvious in China in recent years. Further investigations and efforts are warranted in the areas have high rabies incidence to control rabies by interrupting transmission from dogs to humans and in the dog population. Furthermore, elimination of rabies should be eventually the ultimate goal for China.

Dataset Information

Complete genome and molecular epidemiological data infer the maintenance of rabies among kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) in Namibia.

Publications

Complete genome and molecular epidemiological data infer the maintenance of rabies among kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) in Namibia.

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