Rift Valley fever in Nigeria: infections in domestic animals.
Between 1986 and 1989, 2,255 sera collected from six domestic animal species in Nigeria were tested for antibodies to Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus. In addition, a longitudinal study was carried out from July 1987 to December 1988, using ten sentinel flocks on four farms at Ibadan and Ile-Ife, to determine the activity of RVF virus (RVFV). All samples were tested for haemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies and positive sera were further screened, using the plaque reduction neutralisation test. Of 2,255 samples, 259 (11.5%) had haemagglutination-inhibiting and neutralising antibodies, as follows: sheep (18.7%), goats (10.4%), cattle (10.2%), horses (9.8%) and camels (3.3%). The highest prevalence of RVFV antibody was found in the plateau area (18.4%). Animals aged three years or more had a higher prevalence of antibodies to RVFV. Longitudinal studies showed seroconversion to RVFV in ten of the 210 animals which were kept under observation (4.8%). All seroconversions occurred during the wet season. The results of this study indicate that the infection of animals with RVFV is widespread in Nigeria.
Olaleye
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Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University College Hospital, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Tomori
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Schmitz
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D000003:Abattoirs; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002162:Camelus; D002417:Cattle; D006041:Goats; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D006736:Horses; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012295:Rift Valley Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012296:Rift Valley fever virus / Q000276:immunology; D012756:Sheep; D013552:Swine
D000914:Antibodies, Viral