Browse
Submit Data
Databases
API
Help

Dataset Information

21 Views

0 Connections

0 Citations

0 Reanalyses

0 Downloads

Omics score: 0

Epidemiology of Shuni Virus in Horses in South Africa.

ABSTRACT: The Orthobunyavirus genus, family Peribunyaviridae, contains several important emerging and re-emerging arboviruses of veterinary and medical importance. These viruses may cause mild febrile illness, to severe encephalitis, fetal deformity, abortion, hemorrhagic fever and death in humans and/or animals. Shuni virus (SHUV) is a zoonotic arbovirus thought to be transmitted by hematophagous arthropods. It was previously reported in a child in Nigeria in 1966 and horses in Southern Africa in the 1970s and again in 2009, and in humans with neurological signs in 2017. Here we investigated the epidemiology and phylogenetic relationship of SHUV strains detected in horses presenting with febrile and neurological signs in South Africa. In total, 24/1820 (1.3%) horses submitted to the zoonotic arbovirus surveillance program tested positive by real-time reverse transcription (RTPCR) between 2009 and 2019. Cases were detected in all provinces with most occurring in Gauteng (9/24, 37.5%). Neurological signs occurred in 21/24 (87.5%) with a fatality rate of 45.8%. Partial sequencing of the nucleocapsid gene clustered the identified strains with SHUV strains previously identified in South Africa (SA). Full genome sequencing of a neurological case detected in 2016 showed 97.8% similarity to the SHUV SA strain (SAE18/09) and 97.5% with the Nigerian strain and 97.1% to the 2014 Israeli strain. Our findings suggest that SHUV is circulating annually in SA and despite it being relatively rare, it causes severe neurological disease and death in horses.

SUBMITTER: Motlou TP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8158722 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Json Xml

Similar Datasets

Shuni Virus in Wildlife and Nonequine Domestic Animals, South Africa.

Project description:We screened nonequine animals with unexplained neurologic signs or death in South Africa during 2010-2018 for Shuni virus (SHUV). SHUV was detected in 3.3% of wildlife, 1.1% of domestic, and 2.0% of avian species. Seropositivity was also demonstrated in wildlife. These results suggest a range of possible SHUV hosts in Africa.

| S-EPMC7323521 | biostudies-literature

Potential Mosquito Vectors for Shuni Virus, South Africa, 2014-2018.

Project description:Shuni virus is associated with neurologic and febrile illness in animals and humans. To determine potential vectors, we collected mosquitoes in South Africa and detected the virus in species of the genera Mansonia, Culex, Aedes, and Anopheles. These mosquitoes may be associated with Shuni virus outbreaks in Africa and emergence in other regions.

| S-EPMC8632193 | biostudies-literature

Shuni Virus in Cases of Neurologic Disease in Humans, South Africa.

Project description:We describe Shuni virus (SHUV) detection in human neurologic disease cases in South Africa. SHUV RNA was identified in 5% of cerebrospinal fluid specimens collected during the arbovirus season from public sector hospitals. This finding suggests that SHUV may be a previously unrecognized cause of human neurologic infections in Africa.

| S-EPMC7853583 | biostudies-literature

Epidemiology and Genomic Analysis of Equine Encephalosis Virus Detected in Horses with Clinical Signs in South Africa, 2010-2017.

Project description:Equine encephalosis virus (EEV) is a neglected virus endemic to South Africa and is considered to generally result in mild disease in equines. Specimens were analyzed from live horses that presented with undefined neurological, febrile, or respiratory signs, or sudden and unexpected death. Between 2010 and 2017, 111 of 1523 (7.3%) horse samples tested positive for EEV using a nested real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Clinical signs were reported in 106 (7.2%) EEV positive and 1360 negative horses and included pyrexia (77/106, 72.6%), icterus (20/106, 18.9%) and dyspnea (12/106, 11.3%). Neurological signs were inversely associated with EEV infection (OR < 1, p < 0.05) relative to EEV negative cases despite a high percentage of animals presenting with neurological abnormalities (51/106, 48.1%). Seventeen of the EEV positive horses also had coinfections with either West Nile (5/106, 4.7%), Middelburg (4/106, 3.8%) or African Horse sickness virus (8/106, 7.6%). To investigate a possible genetic link between EEV strains causing the observed clinical signs in horses, the full genomes of six isolates were compared to the reference strains. Based on the outer capsid protein (VP2), serotype 1 and 4 were identified as the predominant serotypes with widespread reassortment between the seven different serotypes.

| S-EPMC8001977 | biostudies-literature

Epidemiology of influenza virus types and subtypes in South Africa, 2009-2012.

Project description:To determine clinical and epidemiologic differences between influenza caused by different virus types and subtypes, we identified patients and tested specimens. Patients were children and adults hospitalized with confirmed influenza and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) identified through active, prospective, hospital-based surveillance from 2009-2012 in South Africa. Respiratory specimens were tested, typed, and subtyped for influenza virus by PCR. Of 16,005 SARI patients tested, 1,239 (8%) were positive for influenza virus. Patient age and co-infections varied according to virus type and subtype, but disease severity did not. Case-patients with influenza B were more likely than patients with influenza A to be HIV infected. A higher proportion of case-patients infected during the first wave of the 2009 influenza pandemic were 5-24 years of age (19%) than were patients infected during the second wave (9%). Although clinical differences exist, treatment recommendations do not differ according to subtype; prevention through vaccination is recommended.

| S-EPMC4073865 | biostudies-literature

Lineage 2 west nile virus as cause of fatal neurologic disease in horses, South Africa.

Project description:Serologic evidence suggests that West Nile virus (WNV) is widely distributed in horses in southern Africa. However, because few neurologic cases have been reported, endemic lineage 2 strains were postulated to be nonpathogenic in horses. Recent evidence suggests that highly neuroinvasive lineage 2 strains exist in humans and mice. To determine whether neurologic cases are being missed in South Africa, we tested 80 serum or brain specimens from horses with unexplained fever (n = 48) and/or neurologic signs (n = 32) for WNV. From March 2007 through June 2008, using reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and immunoglobulin (Ig) M ELISA, we found WNV RNA or IgM in 7/32 horses with acute neurologic disease; 5 horses died or were euthanized. In 5/7 horses, no other pathogen was detected. DNA sequencing for all 5 RT-PCR-positive cases showed the virus belonged to lineage 2. WNV lineage 2 may cause neurologic disease in horses in South Africa.

| S-EPMC2727306 | biostudies-literature

Prevalence, epidemiology and molecular studies of Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) in South Africa.

Project description:Criniviruses accumulate in the phloem tissue and damage crops by reducing chlorophyll which is essential for plant growth and development. Tomato chlorosis crinivirus (ToCV) is vectored by several whitefly species that damage tomato crops throughout the world. In South Africa, ToCV is a poorly studied pathogen of global economic importance. Therefore, a national survey was initiated to investigate the occurrence and distribution of criniviruses infecting tomato crops in South Africa. Whitefly infested tomato crops exhibiting interveinal leaf chlorosis and chlorotic flecking symptoms were assayed for crinivirus infections using a multiplex reverse transcription polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) approach to assess for the presence of crinivirus species that are known to infect solanaceous hosts. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to generate the complete genome of ToCV from South Africa. Results from the survey indicated that ToCV is presently the only crinivirus species infecting tomatoes in South Africa. Blast analysis showed that the RNA-1 segment of ToCV from South Africa (ToCR1-186) matched 99% to Spanish isolates. On the other hand, the RNA-2 (ToCR2-186) segment matched 98% to a South Korean isolate and three Spanish isolates. Although recombination events were not detected, phylogenetic studies showed inconsistencies in the grouping of RNA-1 and RNA-2 segments for some of the ToCV isolates analyzed in this study. Therefore, we suggest the possibility of intraspecific reassortment. This is the first comprehensive study and full genome sequence of ToCV from South Africa. The information generated from this study is intended to raise awareness of ToCV infections on tomato crops in South Africa.

| S-EPMC6655748 | biostudies-literature

Epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile in South Africa.

Project description:BackgroundClostridioides difficile (CD) is the most common healthcare-associated enteric infection. There is currently limited epidemiological evidence on CD incidence in South Africa.AimTo estimate the burden of CD infection (CDI) in the South African public sector between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017.MethodsA retrospective cohort study utilizing secondary data was conducted to describe the epidemiology of CD in South Africa. We assessed the patient-level association between variables of interest, CD, and CD recurrence, by undertaking both univariate and multivariable analysis. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) were calculated utilizing multivariable Poisson regression. The incidence of CD, CD recurrence and CD testing was estimated by Poisson regression for various levels of care and provinces.ResultsA total of 14 023 samples were tested for CD during the study period. After applying exclusion criteria, we were left with a sample of 10 053 of which 1 860 (18.50%) tested CD positive. A positive and significant association between CDI and level of care is found, with patients treated in specialized tuberculosis (TB) hospitals having a five-fold increased adjusted incidence risk ratio (aIRR) for CDI (aIRR 4.96 CI95% 4.08-6.04,) compared to those managed in primary care. Patients receiving care at a secondary, tertiary, or central hospital had 35%, 66% and 41% increased adjusted incidence of CDI compared to those managed in primary care, respectively. National incidence of CDI is estimated at 53.89 cases per 100 000 hospitalizations (CI95% 51.58-56.29), the incidence of recurrence at 21.39 (CI95% 15.06-29.48) cases per 1 000 cases and a recurrence rate of 2.14% (CI95% 1.51-2.94).ConclusionCompared to European countries, we found a comparable incidence of CD. However, our estimates are lower than those for the United States. Compared to high-income countries, this study found a comparatively lower CD recurrence.

| S-EPMC8610264 | biostudies-literature

West Nile Virus Lineage 2 in Horses and Other Animals with Neurologic Disease, South Africa, 2008-2015.

Project description:During 2008-2015 in South Africa, we conducted West Nile virus surveillance in 1,407 animals with neurologic disease and identified mostly lineage 2 cases in horses (7.4%, 79/1,069), livestock (1.5%, 2/132), and wildlife (0.5%, 1/206); 35% were fatal. Geographic correlation of horse cases with seropositive veterinarians suggests disease in horses can predict risk in humans.

| S-EPMC5708237 | biostudies-literature