Genetic characterisation of African swine fever virus from 2017 outbreaks in Zambia: Identification of p72 genotype II variants in domestic pigs

Background African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious transboundary animal disease which causes high mortality, approaching 100% in domestic pigs and it is currently considered as the most serious constraint to domestic pig industry and food security globally. Despite regular ASF outbreaks within Malawi, few studies have genetically characterized the causative ASF virus (ASFV). This study aimed at genetic characterization of ASFV responsible for the 2019 outbreak in northern Malawi. The disease confirmation was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by molecular characterization of the causative ASFV by partial genome sequencing and phylogenetic reconstruction of the B646L (p72) gene, nucleotide alignment of the intergenic region (IGR) between I73R and I329L genes and translation of the central variable region (CVR) coded by B602L gene.Results All thirteen samples collected during this study in Karonga district in September 2019 were ASFV-positive and after partial genome sequencing and phylogenetic reconstruction of the B646L (p72) gene, the viruses clustered into ASFV p72 genotype II. The viruses characterized in this study lacked a GAATATATAG fragment between the I173R and the I329L genes and were classified as IGR I variants. Furthermore, the tetrameric amino acid repeats within the CVR of the B602L gene of the 2019 Malawian ASFV reported in this study had the signature BNDBNDBNAA, 100% similar to ASFV responsible for the 2013 and 2017 ASF outbreaks in Zambia and Tanzania, respectively.Conclusions The results of this study confirms an ASF outbreak in Karonga district in northern Malawi in September 2019. The virus was closely related to other p72 genotype II ASFV that caused outbreaks in neighboring eastern and southern African countries, emphasizing the possible regional transboundary transmission of this ASFV genotype. These findings call for a concerted regional and international effort to control the spread of ASF in order to improve nutritional and food security.

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“…Malawi and Mbala in Zambia share borders and ASF outbreaks have been reported to temporally coincide (12,26,27).…”

Section: Phylogenetic Reconstruction Of Asfv Targeting B646l (P72) Gementioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic profile of African Swine Fever Virus Responsible for the 2019 Outbreak in Northern Malawi

Hakizimana

Kamwendo

Chulu

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…A total of 15 cases of ASFV with 11 fatalities in pigs were reported in a village. The sequencing and phylogeny confirmed that this outbreak was caused by the ASFV genotype II, which was circulating in the regions of South-Eastern Africa [80]. It was suggested that the genotype II-associated outbreak in Zambia might be due to the import of swine from the neighboring country of Tanzania [79].…”

Section: Zambiamentioning

confidence: 72%

Systematic Review of Important Viral Diseases in Africa in Light of the ‘One Health’ Concept

et al. 2020

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Emerging and re-emerging viral diseases are of great public health concern. The recent emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in December 2019 in China, which causes COVID-19 disease in humans, and its current spread to several countries, leading to the first pandemic in history to be caused by a coronavirus, highlights the significance of zoonotic viral diseases. Rift Valley fever, rabies, West Nile, chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Ebola, and influenza viruses among many other viruses have been reported from different African countries. The paucity of information, lack of knowledge, limited resources, and climate change, coupled with cultural traditions make the African continent a hotspot for vector-borne and zoonotic viral diseases, which may spread globally. Currently, there is no information available on the status of virus diseases in Africa. This systematic review highlights the available information about viral diseases, including zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, reported in Africa. The findings will help us understand the trend of emerging and re-emerging virus diseases within the African continent. The findings recommend active surveillance of viral diseases and strict implementation of One Health measures in Africa to improve human public health and reduce the possibility of potential pandemics due to zoonotic viruses.

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“…The ASFV strain that caused an outbreak in Kyela, Tanzania in 2010 had 100% nucleotide identity for the p72 (B646L) gene to Malawian ASFV collected from the 2011 outbreak in Karonga (Table 1). It was previously speculated that the introduction of ASFV genotype II, previously not described in Tanzania, occurred by importation of pig products from Karonga in Malawi (35,36). Since then, there has been persistent circulation of highly virulent genotype II viruses in the southern highlands of Tanzania, that have devastated nutritional and food security (37).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic profile of African swine fever virus responsible for the 2019 outbreak in northern Malawi

Hakizimana

Kamwendo

Chulu

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious transboundary animal disease which causes high mortality, approaching 100% in domestic pigs and it is currently considered as the most serious constraint to domestic pig industry and food security globally. Despite regular ASF outbreaks within Malawi, few studies have genetically characterized the causative ASF virus (ASFV). This study aimed at genetic characterization of ASFV responsible for the 2019 outbreak in northern Malawi. The disease confirmation was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by molecular characterization of the causative ASFV by partial genome sequencing and phylogenetic reconstruction of the B646L (p72) gene, nucleotide alignment of the intergenic region (IGR) between I73R and I329L genes and translation of the central variable region (CVR) coded by B602L gene.Results: All thirteen samples collected during this study in Karonga district in September 2019 were ASFV-positive and after partial genome sequencing and phylogenetic reconstruction of the B646L (p72) gene, the viruses clustered into ASFV p72 genotype II. The viruses characterized in this study lacked a GAATATATAG fragment between the I173R and the I329L genes and were classified as IGR I variants. Furthermore, the tetrameric amino acid repeats within the CVR of the B602L gene of the 2019 Malawian ASFV reported in this study had the signature BNDBNDBNAA, 100% similar to ASFV responsible for the 2013 and 2017 ASF outbreaks in Zambia and Tanzania, respectively.Conclusions: The results of this study confirm an ASF outbreak in Karonga district in northern Malawi in September 2019. The virus was closely related to other p72 genotype II ASFV that caused outbreaks in neighboring eastern and southern African countries, emphasizing the possible regional transboundary transmission of this ASFV genotype. These findings call for a concerted regional and international effort to control the spread of ASF in order to improve nutritional and food security.

show abstract

Genetic characterisation of African swine fever virus from 2017 outbreaks in Zambia: Identification of p72 genotype II variants in domestic pigs

Cited by 27 publications

References 19 publications

Genetic profile of African Swine Fever Virus Responsible for the 2019 Outbreak in Northern Malawi

Genetic profile of African Swine Fever Virus Responsible for the 2019 Outbreak in Northern Malawi

Systematic Review of Important Viral Diseases in Africa in Light of the ‘One Health’ Concept

Genetic profile of African swine fever virus responsible for the 2019 outbreak in northern Malawi

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