Mokola virus involved in a human contact (South Africa).
Isolations of Mokola virus (MOKV) are rare, but in South Africa and Zimbabwe this genotype 3 lyssavirus variant has been occasionally found in domestic mammals (cats and a dog) with a total of 17 virus isolates (South Africa 10, Zimbabwe 7) having been recovered during the past 30 years. We report the identification of a MOKV isolate involved in a human contact in Grahamstown (Eastern Cape, South Africa) and a genetic comparison with previously characterized isolates. This reported MOKV case was in a previously immunized cat. While the continual recovery of MOKV isolates in domestic cats is speculative of the existence of a reservoir host species among bats or rodents, the lack of protection with currently used vaccines is discussed and the need for biologicals with a wider spectrum of protection against this lyssavirus variant is highlighted.
Sabeta
Claude
C
OIE Rabies Reference Laboratory, Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. sabetac@arc.agric.za
Blumberg
Lucille
L
Miyen
Jacobeth
J
Mohale
Debra
D
Shumba
Wonderful
W
Wandeler
Alex
A
D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000821:virology*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D006801:Humans; D018114:Lyssavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018353:Rhabdoviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology