Deo B Ndumu1, Barnabas Bakamutumaho2, Edward Miller3, Jesca Nakayima4, Robert Downing5, Stephen Balinandi5, Fred Monje6, Dan Tumusiime6, Mary Nanfuka6, Natascha Meunier7, Eugene Arinaitwe6, Chris Rutebarika6, Eugene Kidega6, Jackson Kyondo2, Rose Ademun6, Kariuki M Njenga8, Francisco Veas9, Jean-Paul Gonzalez3,10,11. 1. Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), P. O. Box 513, Entebbe, Uganda. ndumudb@gmail.com. 2. Uganda National Health Research Organization (UNHRO), Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), P. O. Box 49, Entebbe, Uganda. 3. Metabiota Inc., San Francisco, USA. 4. National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLiRRI), Nakyesasa, Uganda. 5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - UVRI, Entebbe, Uganda. 6. Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), P. O. Box 513, Entebbe, Uganda. 7. Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Royal College Street, London, NW1 0TU, UK. 8. Africa Biomedical Laboratories, Nairobi, Kenya. 9. Molecular Comparative Immuno-Physiopathology Lab (LIPMC), Joint Research Unit-Ministry of Defense (UMR-MD), Faculty of Pharmacy, French Research Institute for Development (IRD), Montpellier University, 34093, Montpellier, France. 10. Georgetown University, School of Medicine, 3900 Reservoir Rd. NW, Washington, DC, 20007, USA. 11. Centaurus Biotech LLC., Commonwealth Trading Partners, CTP Inc. Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prior to the first recorded outbreak of Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Uganda, in March 2016, earlier studies done until the 1970's indicated the presence of the RVF virus (RVFV) in the country, without any recorded outbreaks in either man or animals. While severe outbreaks of RVF occurred in the neighboring countries, none were reported in Uganda despite forecasts that placed some parts of Uganda at similar risk. The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) undertook studies to determine the RVF sero-prevalence in risk prone areas. Three datasets from cattle sheep and goats were obtained; one from retrospective samples collected in 2010-2011 from the northern region; the second from the western region in 2013 while the third was from a cross-sectional survey done in 2016 in the south-western region. Laboratory analysis involved the use of the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA). Data were subjected to descriptive statistical analyses, including non-parametric chi-square tests for comparisons between districts and species in the regions. RESULTS: During the Yellow Fever outbreak investigation of 2010-2011 in the northern region, a total sero-prevalence of 6.7% was obtained for anti RVFV reacting antibodies (IgG and IgM) among the domestic ruminant population. The 2013 sero-survey in the western region showed a prevalence of 18.6% in cattle and 2.3% in small ruminants. The 2016 sero-survey in the districts of Kabale, Kanungu, Kasese, Kisoro and Rubirizi, in the south-western region, had the respective district RVF sero-prevalence of 16.0, 2.1, 0.8, 15.1and 2.7% among the domestic ruminants combined for this region; bovines exhibited the highest cumulative sero-prevalence of 15.2%, compared to 5.3 and 4.0% respectively for sheep and goats per species for the region. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of apparent outbreaks in Uganda, despite neighboring enzootic areas, having minimal restrictions to the exchange of livestock and their products across borders, suggest an unexpected RVF activity in the study areas that needs to be unraveled. Therefore, more in-depth studies are planned to mitigate the risk of an overt RVF outbreak in humans and animals as has occurred in neighboring countries.
BACKGROUND: Prior to the first recorded outbreak of Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Uganda, in March 2016, earlier studies done until the 1970's indicated the presence of the RVF virus (RVFV) in the country, without any recorded outbreaks in either man or animals. While severe outbreaks of RVF occurred in the neighboring countries, none were reported in Uganda despite forecasts that placed some parts of Uganda at similar risk. The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) undertook studies to determine the RVF sero-prevalence in risk prone areas. Three datasets from cattlesheep and goats were obtained; one from retrospective samples collected in 2010-2011 from the northern region; the second from the western region in 2013 while the third was from a cross-sectional survey done in 2016 in the south-western region. Laboratory analysis involved the use of the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA). Data were subjected to descriptive statistical analyses, including non-parametric chi-square tests for comparisons between districts and species in the regions. RESULTS: During the Yellow Fever outbreak investigation of 2010-2011 in the northern region, a total sero-prevalence of 6.7% was obtained for anti RVFV reacting antibodies (IgG and IgM) among the domestic ruminant population. The 2013 sero-survey in the western region showed a prevalence of 18.6% in cattle and 2.3% in small ruminants. The 2016 sero-survey in the districts of Kabale, Kanungu, Kasese, Kisoro and Rubirizi, in the south-western region, had the respective district RVF sero-prevalence of 16.0, 2.1, 0.8, 15.1and 2.7% among the domestic ruminants combined for this region; bovines exhibited the highest cumulative sero-prevalence of 15.2%, compared to 5.3 and 4.0% respectively for sheep and goats per species for the region. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of apparent outbreaks in Uganda, despite neighboring enzootic areas, having minimal restrictions to the exchange of livestock and their products across borders, suggest an unexpected RVF activity in the study areas that needs to be unraveled. Therefore, more in-depth studies are planned to mitigate the risk of an overt RVF outbreak in humans and animals as has occurred in neighboring countries.
Entities:
Keywords:
ELISA; Epidemics; Rift Valley fever virus; Sero-surveillance
Authors: Michael J Adams; Elliot J Lefkowitz; Andrew M Q King; Balázs Harrach; Robert L Harrison; Nick J Knowles; Andrew M Kropinski; Mart Krupovic; Jens H Kuhn; Arcady R Mushegian; Max Nibert; Sead Sabanadzovic; Hélène Sanfaçon; Stuart G Siddell; Peter Simmonds; Arvind Varsani; Francisco Murilo Zerbini; Alexander E Gorbalenya; Andrew J Davison Journal: Arch Virol Date: 2017-04-22 Impact factor: 2.574
Authors: D H Bishop; C H Calisher; J Casals; M P Chumakov; S Y Gaidamovich; C Hannoun; D K Lvov; I D Marshall; N Oker-Blom; R F Pettersson; J S Porterfield; P K Russell; R E Shope; E G Westaway Journal: Intervirology Date: 1980 Impact factor: 1.763
Authors: Assaf Anyamba; Kenneth J Linthicum; Jennifer Small; Seth C Britch; Edwin Pak; Stephane de La Rocque; Pierre Formenty; Allen W Hightower; Robert F Breiman; Jean-Paul Chretien; Compton J Tucker; David Schnabel; Rosemary Sang; Karl Haagsma; Mark Latham; Henry B Lewandowski; Salih Osman Magdi; Mohamed Ally Mohamed; Patrick M Nguku; Jean-Marc Reynes; Robert Swanepoel Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2010-08 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Georges M Tshilenge; Mfumu L K Mulumba; Gerald Misinzo; Rob Noad; William G Dundon Journal: Onderstepoort J Vet Res Date: 2019-10-10 Impact factor: 1.792