Detection of African Swine Fever Virus in Ornithodoros Tick Species Associated with Indigenous and Extralimital Warthog Populations in South Africa.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the possibility that sylvatic circulation of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in warthogs and Ornithodoros ticks had extended beyond the historically affected northern part of South Africa that was declared a controlled area in 1935 to prevent the spread of infection to the rest of the country. We recently reported finding antibody to the virus in extralimital warthogs in the south of the country, and now describe the detection of infected ticks outside the controlled area. A total of 5078 ticks was collected at 45 locations in 7/9 provinces during 2019-2021 and assayed as 711 pools for virus content by qPCR, while 221 pools were also analysed for tick phylogenetics. Viral nucleic acid was detected in 50 tick pools representing all four members of the Ornithodoros

SUBMITTER: Craig AF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9331695 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature