title: Molecular epidemiology of reemergent rabies in Yunnan Province, southwestern China.
abstract: Yunnan Province in China borders 3 countries (Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar) in Southeast Asia. In the 1980s, a large-scale rabies epidemic occurred in this province, which subsided by the late 1990s. However, 3 human cases of rabies in 2000 indicated reemergence of the disease in 1 county. In 2012, rabies was detected in 77 counties; 663 persons died of rabies during this new epidemic. Fifty two rabies virus strains obtained during 2008-2012 were identified and analyzed phylogenetically by sequencing the nucleoprotein gene. Of the 4 clades identified, clades YN-A and YN-C were closely related to strains from neighboring provinces, and clade YN-B was closely related to strains from Southeast Asia, but formed a distinct branch. Rabies virus diversity might be attributed to dog movements among counties, provinces, and neighboring countries. These findings suggest that Yunnan Province is a focal point for spread of rabies between Southeast Asia and China.
authors.forename: Hai-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei-Hong
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ji-Chao
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Du-Juan
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xin-Xin
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yun-Zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000821:virology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral; D014644:Genetic Variation; D062306:Geography, Medical; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011818:Rabies / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012621:Seasons; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D062206:Spatial Analysis
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral
keywords: China; dogs; endemic disease; homology; molecular epidemiology; nucleoprotein; phylogenetic analysis; public health; rabies; rabies virus; viruses