Abstract:
In South Africa, rabies cycles are sustained by both domestic and wildlife host species.
Despite the fact that the majority of human rabies cases are associated with dog bite exposures,
wildlife species can potentially transmit rabies virus (RABV) infection to humans. In July 2021,
a honey badger (Mellivora capensis) from the Kromdraai area (Gauteng Province) bit a dog on a
small farm. The following day the same honey badger attacked three adults in the area, with one
of the victims requiring hospitalization for management of her injuries. The honey badger was
subsequently shot and the carcass submitted to the Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort
Veterinary Research (ARC-OVR) for RABV diagnosis. A positive rabies diagnosis was confirmed and
phylogenetic analysis of the amplified glycoprotein gene of the rabies virus demonstrated the virus
to be of dog origin.
