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Horton DL, McElhinney LM, Freuling CM, Marston DA, Banyard AC, Goharrriz H, Wise E, Breed AC, Saturday G, Kolodziejek J, Zilahi E, Al-Kobaisi MF, Nowotny N, Mueller T, Fooks AR. Complex epidemiology of a zoonotic disease in a culturally diverse region: phylogeography of rabies virus in the Middle East. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003569. [PMID: 25811659 PMCID: PMC4374968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Middle East is a culturally and politically diverse region at the gateway between Europe, Africa and Asia. Spatial dynamics of the fatal zoonotic disease rabies among countries of the Middle East and surrounding regions is poorly understood. An improved understanding of virus distribution is necessary to direct control methods. Previous studies have suggested regular trans-boundary movement, but have been unable to infer direction. Here we address these issues, by investigating the evolution of 183 rabies virus isolates collected from over 20 countries between 1972 and 2014. We have undertaken a discrete phylogeographic analysis on a subset of 139 samples to infer where and when movements of rabies have occurred. We provide evidence for four genetically distinct clades with separate origins currently circulating in the Middle East and surrounding countries. Introductions of these viruses have been followed by regular and multidirectional trans-boundary movements in some parts of the region, but relative isolation in others. There is evidence for minimal regular incursion of rabies from Central and Eastern Asia. These data support current initiatives for regional collaboration that are essential for rabies elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Horton
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom; School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Lorraine M McElhinney
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom; Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Conrad M Freuling
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Denise A Marston
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Ashley C Banyard
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Hooman Goharrriz
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Wise
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew C Breed
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Greg Saturday
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories (NIAID, NIH), Hamilton, Montana, United States of America; Formerly USAPHCR-Europe Laboratory Sciences, Veterinary Pathology, Landstuhl, Germany
| | - Jolanta Kolodziejek
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Erika Zilahi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Muhannad F Al-Kobaisi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Norbert Nowotny
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Anthony R Fooks
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom; Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Integrating the landscape epidemiology and genetics of RNA viruses: rabies in domestic dogs as a model. Parasitology 2012; 139:1899-913. [PMID: 22814380 PMCID: PMC3526958 DOI: 10.1017/s003118201200090x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Landscape epidemiology and landscape genetics combine advances in molecular techniques, spatial analyses and epidemiological models to generate a more real-world understanding of infectious disease dynamics and provide powerful new tools for the study of RNA viruses. Using dog rabies as a model we have identified how key questions regarding viral spread and persistence can be addressed using a combination of these techniques. In contrast to wildlife rabies, investigations into the landscape epidemiology of domestic dog rabies requires more detailed assessment of the role of humans in disease spread, including the incorporation of anthropogenic landscape features, human movements and socio-cultural factors into spatial models. In particular, identifying and quantifying the influence of anthropogenic features on pathogen spread and measuring the permeability of dispersal barriers are important considerations for planning control strategies, and may differ according to cultural, social and geographical variation across countries or continents. Challenges for dog rabies research include the development of metapopulation models and transmission networks using genetic information to uncover potential source/sink dynamics and identify the main routes of viral dissemination. Information generated from a landscape genetics approach will facilitate spatially strategic control programmes that accommodate for heterogeneities in the landscape and therefore utilise resources in the most cost-effective way. This can include the efficient placement of vaccine barriers, surveillance points and adaptive management for large-scale control programmes.
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Abstract
Between 1979 and 2000, foxes constituted the main reservoir of rabies in the Northern regions of Israel. Following the implementation of the fox-targeted oral vaccination programme (ORV) in 1998, rabies was eradicated from this area. Subsequently during 2004-2007, the biological and molecular characterization of the rabies isolates showed that stray dogs emerged as the main animal reservoir in Northern Israel while lower numbers of cases were reported in domestic animals. The virus isolates from foxes and dogs differed, in their molecular characterization, suggesting two distinct separate lineages. The transition from fox-mediated rabies to dog-mediated rabies is of great concern to public health because of the close contact between dogs and the human population.
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Nagarajan T, Rupprecht CE, Dessain SK, Rangarajan PN, Thiagarajan D, Srinivasan VA. Human monoclonal antibody and vaccine approaches to prevent human rabies. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2007; 317:67-101. [PMID: 17990790 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-72146-8_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Rabies, being a major zoonotic disease, significantly impacts global public health. It is invariably fatal once clinical signs are apparent. The majority of human rabies deaths occur in developing countries. India alone reports more than 50% of the global rabies deaths. Although it is a vaccine-preventable disease, effective rabies prevention in humans with category III bites requires the combined administration of rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) and vaccine. Cell culture rabies vaccines have become widely available in developing countries, virtually replacing the inferior and unsafe nerve tissue vaccines. Limitations inherent to the conventional RIG of either equine or human origin have prompted scientists to look for monoclonal antibody-based human RIG as an alternative. Fully human monoclonal antibodies have been found to be safer and equally efficacious than conventional RIG when tested in mice and hamsters. In this chapter, rabies epidemiology, reservoir control measures, post-exposure prophylaxis of human rabies, and combination therapy for rabies are discussed. Novel human monoclonal antibodies, their production, and the significance of plants as expression platforms are emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Nagarajan
- Indian Immunologicals Limited Gachibowli Post, Hyderabad, India.
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Davis PL, Rambaut A, Bourhy H, Holmes EC. The evolutionary dynamics of canid and mongoose rabies virus in Southern Africa. Arch Virol 2007; 152:1251-8. [PMID: 17401615 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-007-0962-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2007] [Accepted: 02/20/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Two variants of rabies virus (RABV) currently circulate in southern Africa: canid RABV, mainly associated with dogs, jackals, and bat-eared foxes, and mongoose RABV. To investigate the evolutionary dynamics of these variants, we performed coalescent-based analyses of the G-L inter-genic region, allowing for rate variation among viral lineages through the use of a relaxed molecular clock. This revealed that mongoose RABV is evolving more slowly than canid RABV, with mean evolutionary rates of 0.826 and 1.676 x 10(-3) nucleotide substitutions per site, per year, respectively. Additionally, mongoose RABV exhibits older genetic diversity than canid RABV, with common ancestors dating to 73 and 30 years, respectively, and while mongoose RABV has experienced exponential population growth over its evolutionary history in Africa, populations of canid RABV have maintained a constant size. Hence, despite circulating in the same geographic region, these two variants of RABV exhibit striking differences in evolutionary dynamics which are likely to reflect differences in their underlying ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- P L Davis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Nagarajan T, Mohanasubramanian B, Seshagiri EV, Nagendrakumar SB, Saseendranath MR, Satyanarayana ML, Thiagarajan D, Rangarajan PN, Srinivasan VA. Molecular epidemiology of rabies virus isolates in India. J Clin Microbiol 2006; 44:3218-24. [PMID: 16954251 PMCID: PMC1594703 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00801-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In India, rabies is enzootic and is a serious public health and economic problem. India has a large population of stray dogs which, together with a lack of effective control strategies, might have led to the persistence of rabies virus (RV) in the canine population. Our objective was to study the molecular epidemiology of RV isolates in India based on nucleotide sequence analysis of 29 RV isolates originating from different species of animals in four states. Here we have analyzed two sets of sequence data based upon a 132-nucleotide region of the cytoplasmic domain (CD) of the G gene (G-CD) and a 549-nucleotide region (Psi-L) that combines the noncoding G-L intergenic region (Psi) and a fragment of the polymerase gene (L). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the RV isolates belong to genotype 1 and that they were related geographically but were not related according to host species. Five different genetic clusters distributed among three geographical regions were identified. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of G-CD between RV isolates revealed three amino acid changes (amino acid 462G [aa462G], aa465H, and aa468K) that distinguished the Indian RVs from RV isolates in other parts of the world. Analysis of the data indicated that the dog rabies virus variants are the major circulating viruses in India that transmit the disease to other domestic animals and humans as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Nagarajan
- Indian Immunologicals Limited, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500 032, India
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