Importation of canid rabies in a horse relocated from Zimbabwe to South Africa.
In July 2003 a 2-year-old Thoroughbred colt was imported from Harare, Zimbabwe to the Ashburton Training Centre, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Five months after importation, the colt presented with clinical signs suggestive of rabies: it was uncoordinated, showed muscle tremors and was biting at itself. Brain tissue was submitted for analysis and the clinical diagnosis was confirmed by the fluorescent antibody test and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the cytoplasmic domain of the glycoprotein and the G-L intergenic region of the rabies virus confirmed it to be an infection with a canid rabies virus, originating from an area in Zimbabwe endemic for the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) and side-striped jackal (Canis adustus) rabies.
Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Rabies Unit, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa. SabetaC@arc.agric.za
C T
CT
Sabeta
J L
JL
Randles
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011818:Rabies / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013019:South Africa; D015030:Zimbabwe
D004279:DNA, Viral