Molecular epidemiology of lyssaviruses in Eurasia

1
Molecular epidemiology of lyssaviruses in Eurasia

• Dr Lorraine McElhinney
• Veterinary Laboratories Agency (Weybridge), UK

2
Previous Published Studies
Iranian RABV phylogeny (Nadin-Davis et al 2003)
Lyssavirus phylogeny (Badrane et al 2001)
Middle East RABV phylogeny (David et al 2007)
European RABV phylogeny (McElhinney et al 2006)
Russian RABV phylogeny (Kuzmin et al 2004)
European RABV phylogeny (Bourhy et al 1999)
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Reported Rabies Cases Serbia Montenegro
1993-2005

• Rabies present only in the Northern Regions of
  Serbia prior to 1990s (Sava, Danube)
• Rapid spread of rabies southwards at a rate of
  20-50km/year since 1991

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Places of origin of the isolates collected
between 1971-1974 (n8)
3

1
5,6
7
4
8
2
Foxes (n7), Dog (n1)
5
Places of origin of the isolates collected
between 1976-1979 (n33)
Foxes (n25), Cats (n4), Dog, Deer, Cow, Badger
(n1)
6
Places of origin of the isolates collected
between 1985-1986 (n9)
Foxes (n3), Dog (n3), Cat, Horse and Cow (n1)
7
Places of origin of the isolates collected
between 1996-1998 (n31)
Foxes (n15), Cats (n13), Dog (n3)
8
Places of origin of the isolates collected
between 1999-2000 (n66)
Foxes (n28), Cats (n20), Dogs (n10), Cows
(n4), Horses (n2), Deer, Goat (n1)
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Isolate Distribution

• 147 virus isolates available for study
• Dates range between 1972-2001
• Varied Host species
• 78 Foxes, 38 cats, 18 dogs, 13 others

Additional published sequences obtained from
Genbank Data Sources e.g. Kissi et al (1992),
Bourhy et al (1999) Vanaga et al (2003),
Nadin-Davis et al (2007) David et al (2007)
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Rabies Virus Genome
400bp
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Phylogenetic Tree (N400bp)
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Isolates belonging to WE Group
13
Isolates belonging to EE Group
14
Isolates Closest to Middle East Group
15
Serbian Fox Group
100
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Conclusions

• Evidence for a number of concurrent independent
  rabies cycles
• Supports previously published antigenic typing
  data (Stankov et al - mAbs)
• All FRY isolates within Cosmopolitan lineage
• Relationships - geographical, host species and
  chronological
• Potential for presence intermediate viruses
  (fox-dog- cat)
• Additional panel currently being analysed
  (2001-2006 isolates) assess survival of viral
  variants
• Future work will involve evolutionary clock
  analysis (Full N G gene sequencing underway)

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Conclusions (2)

• Royal Society Travel Grants Russian Chinese
  Programmes
• Sharing of isolates / collaborative studies
• Exchange visits
• Targeted surveillance programmes
• Russian Collaborative Programmes (VLA/Dr
  Botvinkin Dr Kuzmin)
• publications Kuzmin et al 2004, Botvinkin et al
  2006, Mansfield et al 2006
• Chinese Collaborative Programme (VLA/ Prof Tu
  Dr Jiang)
• Canine RABV sequences analysed
• Active/passive targetted bat surveillance (Prof
  Tu to present data)

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Acknowledgements
Prof A. Fooks, Dr L McElhinney D. Marston, Dr N
Johnson, C Black
Dr S Stankov (Serbia Montenegro)
Prof Tu , Dr Jiang (China)
Dr T Muller (Germany)
Dr N Tordo (France)
Defra grant SE0420 Royal Society