Use of a molecular epidemiological database to track human rabies case histories in South Africa

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 136; no. 9; pp. 1270 - 1276
• Main Authors: COETZEE, P., WEYER, J., PAWESKA, J. T., BURT, F. J., MARKOTTER, W., NEL, L. H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.09.2008
• Subjects: Adolescent; Animals; Animals, Domestic - virology; Bats; Biological and medical sciences; Case histories; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Disease; Disease Outbreaks; Dog Diseases - epidemiology; Dog Diseases - virology; Dogs; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geographic regions; Geography; Glycoproteins; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Molecular Epidemiology; Pathogens; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Population Surveillance; Provinces; Public health; Rabies; Rabies - epidemiology; Rabies - veterinary; Rabies virus - classification; Rabies virus - genetics; Rabies virus - isolation & purification; Regions; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Short Report; South Africa - epidemiology; Virology; Viruses; South Africa; Africa; Eastern Cape South Africa; Human; Nervous system diseases; Microbiology; Epidemiology; Rabies virus; Infection; Virus; Mononegavirales; Rhabdoviridae; Viral disease; Rabies; Database; Lyssavirus
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268807009582

The KwaZulu Natal and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa have experienced a serious dog rabies epidemic over the past three decades. Towards a better understanding of this epidemic, we have previously analysed nucleotide sequences of 142 rabies virus specimens that were obtained from these regions during 2003–2004 and provided a molecular description of the geographical distribution of rabies viral variants in the affected provinces. Here, as an extension, we studied five human cases that occurred during 2002–2003 and demonstrated the use of the sequence database in tracking unknown human rabies case histories. We were able to identify the geographical origin of viruses responsible for each human infection and in one case obtained evidence that suggested a non-bite transmission of rabies virus from an infected dog to a child. We argue for the value of this information in surveillance and epidemiological study and in the follow-up and management of potential exposures.