Work

Surveillance for arboviruses in ticks sampled from wildlife in Ijara District, Kenya

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Tick-borne viruses cause significant morbidity, economic loss and mortality to both human and animals in the world. Tick vectors have been implicated as important routes for virus transmission and dissemination where one host may act as a reservoir of infection, pass this infection via the tick to a more vulnerable host which then suffers disease and reduced survival. This study aimed at determining the prevalence ofarboviruses among ticks sampled from wildlife inIjara district, Kenya. Methods & Materials: A total of 504 ticks were sampled from wildlife: warthogs (Phacochoerus delamerei), lesser Kudu (Ammelaphus imberbis), common zebra (Equus quagga) and giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis). The sampled ticks were processed in 151 pools of upto 8 ticks per pool and classified to species using morphological keys. Virus screening was performed by a combination of virus isolation, RT-PCR and amplicon sequencing. Results: The tick species sampled included: Rhipicephalus pulchellus, Hyalomma truncatum, Amblyomma gemma, Amblyomma lepidum, Amblyomma hebraem and Boophilus annulatus. Bunyamwera- (2), Ndumu- (1), Semliki forest- (2), Thogoto- (1), and West Nile (WNV)- (2) virus strains were identified. Conclusion: The highest prevalence of virus-positive ticks was recorded in warthogs. Viruses were only isolated from giraffe (Bunyamwera) and warthogs (Bunyamwera, Ndumu, Semliki forest, Thogoto and West Nile). While the two WNV isolates were isolated from ticks sampled from warthogs, there is no documented role for warthogs in WNV transmission and maintenance. This study constitutes a new association of West Nile virus with A. gemma and Rh. pulchellus ticks. These findings suggest a significant role for ticks in the maintenance, spread and possible transmission of viruses commonly detected in ticks as well as those normally associated with mosquitoes in Africa.

Source: International Journal of Infectious Diseases

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2014.03.815

Authors: O.W. Lwande, M. Venter, V. Obanda, F. Gakuya, R. Sang

Institutions: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, University of Pretoria, Kenya Wildlife Service

Language: English

Topic: Viral Infections and Vectors

Subfield: Infectious Diseases

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,900