A phytosociological analysis and description of wetland vegetation and ecological factors associated with locations of high mortality for the 2010-11 Rift Valley fever outbreak in South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Rift Valley fever (RVF) is endemic in Africa and parts of the Middle East. It is an emerging zoonotic disease threat to veterinary and public health. Outbreaks of the disease have severe socio-economic impacts. RVF virus emergence is closely associated with specific endorheic wetlands that are utilized by the virus' mosquito vectors. Limited botanical vegetation surveys had been published with regard to RVF virus (RVFV) ecology. We report on a phytosociological classification, analysis and description of wetland vegetation and related abiotic parameters to elucidate factors possibly associated with the 2010-2011 RVFV disease outbreak in South Africa. The study sites were located in the western Free State and adjacent Northern Cape covering an area of ~40,000 km2 with wetlands associated wi

SUBMITTER: Brand RF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5819772 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature