The Emergence of Rift Valley Fever in Gedaref State Urges the Need for a Cross-Border One Health Strategy and Enforcement of the International Health Regulations.

Ayman Ahmed,Iman Mahmoud,Mawahib Eldigail,Rehab Elhassan,Scott Weaver

doi:10.3390/pathogens10070885

Abstract

This study investigated the causative agent of a haemorrhagic fever epidemic in Gedaref state, south-east Sudan. Six cases of febrile illness with haemorrhagic manifestations presented at outpatient health-clinics. Blood samples were collected from the patients and shipped to Khartoum where they were tested for dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) using real-time qPCR. Fifty percent (3/6) of them tested positive for RVFV and neither DENV or CHIKV was detected. All patients were males between 20 and 48 years old who had no history of recent travel. This finding describes the first emergence of RVFV in Gedaref state. Considering that the state hosts a major market of livestock, and it has one of the largest-seasonal open pastures in the country that is usually flooded with herds from the neighbouring states and countries during the rainy season, this emergence could represent a major threat to public health in the region and countries importing animals and/or animal products from east Africa. Therefore, we urge the policymakers of the health and animal resources sectors to implement a one health strategy with a well-established early warning surveillance and response system to prevent the establishment of the disease in the area.

Highlights

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic viral haemorrhagic disease that affects the health and well-being of both humans and animals
The molecular investigation revealed that three of the six patients (50%) who presented with viral haemorrhagic fever to the outpatient clinics were infected with Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV)
Several factors make the expansion and emergence of RVFV that we report in new areas of high importance and very alarming, for Sudan, but for the neighbouring countries with open borders with Gedaref: namely Eritrea and Ethiopia

Summary

Introduction

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic viral haemorrhagic disease that affects the health and well-being of both humans and animals. The disease is caused by the arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) RVF phlebovirus (RVFV), which is a member of the Phenuiviridae viral family [1]. RVFV was first isolated and characterized following a large-scale epizootic in. Several mosquito species are competent vectors of RVFV, differently contributing in the virus transmission in both the enzootic cycle among sylvatic animals and the epizootic/epidemic transmission cycle among domestic animals and people [2]. RVFV infection can be acquired through close contact with infected animals, and through contact with the raw milk or meat from infected animals [3]. Vertical transmission from mother to offspring has been documented in humans and livestock as well as in several genera of mosquitoes [3]

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