A molecular epidemiological study of rabies epizootics in kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) in Namibia.

Karen Mansfield,Felix Mettler,Lorraine Mcelhinney,Anthony R Fooks,Louis H Nel,Otto Hübschle,Claude Sabeta

doi:10.1186/1746-6148-2-2

Karen Mansfield, Felix Mettler + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-6148-2-2

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Abstract

BackgroundA panel of 37 rabies virus isolates were collected and studied, originating mainly from the northern and central regions of Namibia, between 1980 and 2003.ResultsThese virus isolates demonstrated a high degree of genetic similarity with respect to a 400 bp region of the nucleoprotein gene, with the virus isolates originating from kudu antelope (n = 10) sharing 97.2–100% similarity with jackal isolates, and 97–100% similarity with those isolated from domestic dogs. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that these viruses were all of the canid rabies biotype of southern Africa. The viruses from kudu were closely associated with jackal isolates (n = 6), bat-eared fox isolates (n = 2) and domestic dog isolates (n = 2) at the genetic level and identical at the amino acid level, irrespective of the year of isolation.ConclusionThese data suggest that jackal and kudu may form part of the same epidemiological cycle of rabies in Namibian wildlife, and might demonstrate the close-relationship between rabies virus strains that circulate within Namibia and those that circulate between Namibia and its neighbouring countries such as Botswana and South Africa.

Highlights

A panel of 37 rabies virus isolates were collected and studied, originating mainly from the northern and central regions of Namibia, between 1980 and 2003
The molecular sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the Namibian rabies virus isolates described here, has demonstrated a high degree of similarity between isolates originating from different species, emphasising clearly the ease of transfer of RABV throughout Namibian wildlife, and between wildlife and domesticated species
Our results suggest that the jackal and kudu share the same epidemiological cycle of rabies in Namibian wildlife, and that the probable source of infection in the later 2002 epizootic was from the canid biotype most probably the black-backed jackal or perhaps the domestic dog, as genetic analysis grouped these species most closely with the kudu

Summary

Introduction

A panel of 37 rabies virus isolates were collected and studied, originating mainly from the northern and central regions of Namibia, between 1980 and 2003. The Republic of Namibia is a large country of 824268 km situated on the south Atlantic (West) coast of Africa. It shares borders with South Africa in the south, Botswana and Zimbabwe in the east, and Angola and Zambia in the north (Figure 1 – refer to additional file 1). With the Namib desert stretching along the western coast and the Kalahari desert along the south-eastern border with Botswana.

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