Rabies Emergence Among Foxes in Turkey

Abstract

Sixteen rabies isolates recently collected from mainland Turkey and two isolates held within a British archive were used to form a representative cohort from a range of vectors, and were analyzed to identify potential causes for an increase of rabies within the fox (Vulpes vulpes) population in Turkey. Each isolate was characterized by sequence analysis of the nucleoprotein gene and compared phylogenetically to the cohort, to isolates from neighboring countries and to isolates from continental Europe and Russia. From this analysis the isolates could be divided into three groups associated with geographic location. This included a western group, an eastern group, and one isolate that did not group with any other Turkish isolate. This observation was also found using the heteroduplex mobility assay as an alternative method for typing rabies virus isolates. Further comparison with isolates from neighboring countries suggests that this isolate was related to viruses present in Georgia and could represent a recent import to Turkey from that country. Within the two larger groups, sequence data were obtained from both infected dogs and foxes suggesting that there has been transmission of virus between these two species. The direction of transmission could not be identified by the phylogenetic analysis, although absence of rabies within the fox population in previous years suggests that this could represent a recent spillover from the domestic dog to the fox.

Phylogenetic Characterization of Rabies Virus Isolates from Carnivora in Brazil

“…RV transmissions among dogs and wild canids has been reported in Africa, Europe, Colombia, Mexico, and Turkey, and infection of wildlife species contributes to the difficulties associated with controlling and eradicating rabies in wildlife [3,16,19,20,25]. Fox RV isolates from northeastern Brazil have been reported to form specific clades that group independently of dog RV isolates despite evidence suggesting that dog and fox rabies are derived from a common ancestor [2,4,22,23].…”

Phylogenetic Analysis of the Rabies Virus N-coding Region in Lithuanian Rabies Isolates

“…This approach has been applied at various geographical levels, from individual countries to worldwide studies (Kissi et al 1995;Haas 1997;David et al 2000, De Mattos et al 2000. It also provides information where a single host dominates the maintenance of rabies virus (Sacramento et al 1992) or where more than one host are involved in the transmission of the virus (Nadin-Davis et al 2001;Johnson et al 2003). The sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis of Lithuanian rabies virus isolates demonstrates a high degree of similarity between isolates originating from different species.…”

Brote de rabia urbana transmitida por perros en el distrito de Santa Marta, Colombia, 2006-2008

“…La infección con el virus rábico ocurre en dos formas epidemiológicas diferentes: a) la rabia urbana, con el perro como principal reservorio y transmisor de la enfermedad a los humanos, y b) la rabia silvestre, con especies de los órdenes Carnívora y Quiróptera como principales reservorios y transmisores de la enfermedad, y especies depredadoras como los felinos que actúan como transmisores, principalmente a humanos. Eventualmente, puede ocurrir la transmisión de la rabia entre los dos ciclos epidemiológicos (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11), lo que resalta el riesgo que presenta para los humanos la enfermedad en cualquier especie animal.…”