Molecular monitoring of African swine fever virus using surveys targeted at adult Ornithodoros ticks : a re-evaluation of Mkuze Game Reserve, South Africa

dc.contributor.authorArnot, L.F.
dc.contributor.authorDu Toit, Johan T.
dc.contributor.authorBastos, Armanda D.S.
dc.contributor.emailadbastos@zoology.up.ac.zaen
dc.date.accessioned2011-01-10T10:40:06Z
dc.date.available2011-01-10T10:40:06Z
dc.date.issued2010-12
dc.description.abstractThe Mkuze Game Reserve (MGR), in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa is an African swine fever virus (ASF) controlled area. In a survey conducted in 1978, ASF prevalence in warthogs and Ornithodoros ticks in MGR was determined to be 2% and 0.06% respectively. These values, acknowledged as being unusually low compared to other East and southern African ASF-positive sylvatic-cycle host populations, have not been assessed since. The availability of a sensitive PCR-based virus detection method, developed specifically for the sylvatic tampan host, prompted a reevaluation of ASF virus (ASFV) prevalence in MGR ticks. Of the 98 warthog burrows inspected for Ornithodoros presence, 59 (60.2%) were found to contain tampans and tick sampling was significantly male-biased. Whilst gender sampling-bias is not unusual, the 27 % increase in infestation rate of warthog burrows since the 1978 survey is noteworthy as it anticipates a concomitant increase in ASFV prevalence, particularly in light of the high proportion (75%) of adult ticks sampled. However, despite DNA integrity being confirmed by internal control amplification of the host 16S gene, PCR screening failed to detect ASFV. These results suggest that ASFV has either disappeared from MGR or if present, is localized, occurring at exceptionally low levels. Further extensive surveys are required to establish the ASFV status of sylvatic hosts in this controlled area.en
dc.description.sponsorshipFinancial support for the Mkuze tick survey was provided through an RDP and Thuthuka grant awarded to ADSB by the University of Pretoria and the National Research Foundation of South Africa.en
dc.identifier.citationArnot, LF, Du Toit, JT & Bastos, ADS 2009, 'Molecular monitoring of African swine fever virus using surveys targeted at adult Ornithodoros ticks: a re-evaluation of Mkuze Game Reserve, South Africa', Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, vol. 76, no. 4, pp. 385-392. en
dc.identifier.issn0030-2465
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/15561
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherAgricultural Research Council, ARC-OVI and the University of Pretoriaen
dc.rights© 2010. The Authors. Licensee: OpenJournals Publishing. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.en
dc.subjectAfrican swine fever virus (ASF)en
dc.subjectPCR (Biochemistry)en
dc.subjectOrnithodoros porcinusen
dc.subjectMkuze Game Reserve (MGR)en
dc.subjectWarthog (Phacochoerus africanus)en
dc.subject.lcshAfrican swine fever virusen
dc.subject.lcshOrnithodorosen
dc.subject.lcshTicksen
dc.titleMolecular monitoring of African swine fever virus using surveys targeted at adult Ornithodoros ticks : a re-evaluation of Mkuze Game Reserve, South Africaen
dc.typeArticleen

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