Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa; Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa; Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5230, United States; ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
Arnot, L.F., Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa; Toit, J.T.D.U., Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5230, United States; Bastos, A.D.S., Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa, ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
The 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 ASFpositive sylvatlc-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 re-evaluation 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.
virus DNA; African swine fever; African swine fever virus; animal; animal disease; article; classification; female; genetics; genotype; isolation and purification; male; parasite vector; phylogeny; polymerase chain reaction; sex difference; South Africa; swine; tick; tick infestation; virology; African Swine Fever; African Swine Fever Virus; Animals; Arachnid Vectors; DNA, Viral; Female; Genotype; Male; Ornithodoros; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sex Factors; South Africa; Swine; Tick Infestations; African swine fever virus; Ixodida; Ornithodoros; Ornithodoros porcinus; Phacochoerus
