A case report on a human bite contact with a rabid honey badger Mellivora capensis (Kromdraai Area, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa)

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Authors

Mohale, Debrah Kgwana
Ngoepe, Ernest
Mparamoto, Munangatire
Blumberg, Lucille Hellen
Sabeta, Claude Taurai

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

MDPI

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.

Description

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The nucleotide sequence data generated in this study can be found on Genbank.

Keywords

Rabies, Lyssavirus, Wildlife, Human, Honey badger (Mellivora capensis), Rabies lyssavirus (RABV), SDG-03: Good health and well-being

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG-03:Good heatlh and well-being

Citation

Mohale, D.K.; Ngoepe, E.; Mparamoto, M.; Blumberg, L.; Sabeta, C.T. A Case Report on a Human Bite Contact with a Rabid Honey Badger Mellivora capensis (Kromdraai Area, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa). Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2023, 8, 186. https://DOI.org/10.3390/tropicalmed8040186.