African horse sickness and African carnivores

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 133 - 140
• Main Authors: Alexander, K.A., Kat, P.W., House, J., House, C., O'Brien, S.J., Laurenson, M.K., McNutt, J.W., Osburn, B.I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.11.1995; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Africa - epidemiology; African horse sickness; African Horse Sickness - epidemiology; African Horse Sickness - transmission; AFRICAN HORSE SICKNESS VIRUS; African Horse Sickness Virus - immunology; African wild dogs; Animal viral diseases; Animals; Animals, Domestic; Animals, Wild; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Biological and medical sciences; CABALLOS; CARNIVORA; Carnivores; Cats; CHEVAL; CHIEN; CULICOIDES; DISEASE TRANSMISSION; DOGS; Domestic dogs; Epidemiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HORSES; HYAENIDAE; Infectious diseases; LEON; LION; LIONS; Medical sciences; Microbiology; PERRO; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Spotted hyenas; TRANSMISION DE ENFERMEDADES; TRANSMISSION DES MALADIES; Viral diseases; Virology; VIRUS DE LA PESTE EQUINA AFRICANA; VIRUS PESTE EQUINE AFRICAINE; Africa; Carnivores; African wild dogs; Spotted hyenas; African horse sickness; Domestic dogs; Lions; Infection; Transmission from animal to animal; Viral disease; Serology; Veterinary medicine; Carnivorous animal; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-1135(95)00059-J

African horse sickness (AHS) is a disease that affects equids, and is principally transmitted by Culicoides spp. that are biological vectors of AHS viruses (AHSV). The repeated spread of AHSV from sub-Saharan Africa to the Middle East, northern Africa and the Iberian peninsula indicate that a better understanding of AHS epizootiology is needed. African horse sickness has long been known to infect and cause mortality among domestic dogs that ingest virus contaminated meat, but it is uncertain what role carnivores play in transmission of the virus. We present evidence of widespread natural AHS infection among a diversity of African carnivore species. We hypothesize that such infection resulted from ingestion of meat and organs from AHS-infected prey species. The effect of AHS on the carnivores is unknown, as is their role in the maintenance cycle of the disease.