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Molecular characterization of rabies viruses from two western provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2008–2017)

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Abstract

Although rabies is enzootic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is very little molecular epidemiological information about the viruses circulating in animals. In this study, a fragment of the rabies virus (RABV) nucleoprotein gene was amplified and sequenced from 21 animal brain samples collected in two western provinces of the country between 2008 and 2017. The samples tested were from cat (n = 1), dog (n = 17), goat (n = 2), and sheep (n = 1). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sequences generated were highly similar to each other and belonged to lineage Africa 1b clustering with a single sample identified in a canine in the Republic of Congo in 2014. This is the first molecular epidemiological study of RABV in the DRC and the data generated will assist authorities in the development of effective control strategies for rabies in the country.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to each member of Central Veterinary Laboratory who assisted in sample collection and/or analysis. The authors thank the Académie de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur (ARES) for financing a part of sample collection. The sequences from this study were generated through the Sequencing Services of the Animal Production and Health sub-programme of the Joint Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Division. This study was also supported by funds from the IAEA Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI) VETLAB Network.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Veterinary Laboratory, Wangata Street, P.O. Box 8842, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Georges Tshilenge Mbuyi, Augustin T. Twabela, Julienne Sumbu Walandila & Justin Masumu

  2. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Kinshasa, University Street, Kinshasa XI, P.O. Box 117, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Georges Tshilenge Mbuyi & Erick Kazadi Kawaya

  3. Faculty of Sciences, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), Department of Veterinary Medicine, Unit of Integrated Veterinary Research, University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000, Namur, Belgium

    Erick Kazadi Kawaya

  4. Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Freidenstrasse, 1, Seibersdorf, 2444, Vienna, Austria

    Giovanni Cattoli, Ivancho Naletoski & William G. Dundon

  5. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, National Pedagogic University, Matadi/Liberation Street, P.O. Box 8815, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Justin Masumu

  6. National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB), 5345 Huileries Street, P.O. Box 1197, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Justin Masumu

  7. Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Risk Management (CIGERS), P.O. Box 215 Kin 1, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Justin Masumu

Authors
  1. Georges Tshilenge Mbuyi
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  2. Erick Kazadi Kawaya
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  3. Augustin T. Twabela
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  4. Giovanni Cattoli
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  5. Julienne Sumbu Walandila
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  6. Ivancho Naletoski
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  7. Justin Masumu
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  8. William G. Dundon
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to William G. Dundon.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Edited by Detlev H. Kruger.

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Mbuyi, G.T., Kawaya, E.K., Twabela, A.T. et al. Molecular characterization of rabies viruses from two western provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2008–2017). Virus Genes 56, 651–656 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11262-020-01784-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11262-020-01784-y

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