Serological, virological and molecular diagnosis of an outbreak of lumpy skin disease among cattle in Butana area, Eastern Sudan.

BACKGROUND: Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly infectious disease of cattle caused by a virus of the Poxviridae family, genus Capripoxvirus. The disease has great economic effects on the global cattle industry. In this study, an outbreak of LSD among cattle which occurred in Nahr Atbara and Halfa El Jadida locations in Butana area, Kassala State in November, 2020 is described. METHODS: Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) antibody and nucleic acid were detected in specimens (n = 50) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The virus was isolated on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of embryonated chicken eggs and identified by PCR. The number of animals at risk was 295 with a morbidity rate of 4.1% and a mortality rate of 2.4%. CONCLUSIONS: LSDV was diagnosed for the first time in the Butana region, Kassala State, Eastern Sudan in 2020.

SARS-CoV-2 at the human-animal interphase: A review.

Since its emergence in China in December 2019, COVID-19 remains the recent leading disease of concern drawing the public health attention globally. The disease is known of viral origin and zoonotic nature originating from animals. However, to date neither the source of the spillover nor the intermediate hosts are identified. Moreover, the public health situation is intermittently aggravated by identification of new animals susceptible to the SARS-CoV-2 infection, potentially replicating the virus and maintaining intra and interspecies spread of the disease. Although the role of a given animal and/or its produce is important to map the disease pattern, continuous efforts should be undertaken to further understand the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2, a vital step to establish effective disease prevention and control strategy. This manuscript attempted to review updates regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection at the human-animal interface with consideration to postulations on the genetic relatedness and origin of the different SARS-CoV-2 variants isolated from different animal species. Also, the review addresses the possible role of different animal species and their produce in transmission of the disease. Also, the manuscript discussed the contamination potentiality of the virus and its environmental stability. Finally, we reviewed the currently instituted measures to prevent and manage the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The manuscript suggested the One Health based control measures that could prove of value for the near future.

Rodent-Related Zoonotic Pathogens at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface in Qatar: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Rodents are one of the most diversified terrestrial mammals, and they perform several beneficial activities in nature. These animals are also important as carriers of many pathogens with public health importance. The current systematic review was conducted to formulate a true depiction of rodent-related zoonoses in Qatar. Following systematic searches on PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science and a screening process, a total of 94 published articles were selected and studied. The studied articles reported 23 rodent-related zoonotic pathogens that include nine bacterial, eleven parasitic, and three viral pathogens, from which the frequently reported pathogens were Mycobacterium tuberculosis (32 reports), Escherichia coli (23), and Salmonella spp. (16). The possible pathway of entry of the rodent-borne pathogens can be the land port, seaports, and airport of Qatar through carrier humans and animals, contaminated food, and agricultural products. The pathogens can be conserved internally by rodents, pets, and livestock; by agricultural production systems; and by food marketing chains. The overall estimated pooled prevalence of the pathogens among the human population was 4.27% (95%CI: 4.03-4.51%; p < 0.001) with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 99.50%). The top three highest prevalent pathogens were M.tuberculosis (30.90%; 22.75-39.04%; p < 0.001; I2 = 99.70%) followed by Toxoplasmagondii (21.93%; 6.23-37.61%; p < 0.001; I2 = 99.30%) and hepatitis E virus (18.29%; 11.72-24.86%; p < 0.001; I2 = 96.70%). However, there is a knowledge gap about the listed pathogens regarding the occurrence, transmission pathways, and rodent role in transmission dynamics at the human-animal-environment interface in Qatar. Further studies are required to explore the role of rodents in spreading zoonotic pathogens through the One Health framework, consisting of zoologists, ecologists, microbiologists, entomologists, veterinarians, and public health experts in this country.

Dengue Virus Infection in Sub-Saharan Africa Between 2010 and 2020: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Dengue virus (DENV) infection has garnered a global interest in the past few decades. Nevertheless, its epidemiology in certain developing and low-income regions remains poorly understood, due to the absence of comprehensive surveillance and reporting systems. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of DENV infection in the population of Sub-Saharan Africa using DENV infection markers, and to track any changes in its prevalence during the past ten years. It was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, targeting the literature available at MEDLINE/PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane library and Google Scholar. All articles published in English language between January 2010 and June 2020 were screened for eligibility. Random effects model was used to calculate the pooled prevalence of all infection markers. The Inconsistency Index (I2) was used to assess the level of heterogeneity between studies. Subgroup analysis according to country and time-frame of studies was conducted to provide possible explanations to substantial heterogeneity. The critical appraisal tool for prevalence studies designed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) was used to assess the risk of bias in all included studies. A total of 84 articles, covering 21 countries, were included in this review. Quantitative meta-analysis estimated a pooled IgG prevalence of 25% (95% CI: 21-29%, I2 = 99%), a pooled IgM prevalence of 10% (95% CI: 9-11%, I2 = 98%) and a pooled DENV RNA prevalence of 14% (95% CI: 12-16%, I2 = 99%). Evidence for possible publication bias was also found in all three meta-analyses. Subgroup analysis according to the time of sample collection was performed to closely track the changing prevalence of DENV infection markers between 2010 and 2019. This meta-analysis estimates a high prevalence of DENV infection in Sub-Saharan Africa. More cost-efficient vector control strategies should be designed and implemented in order to adapt to the low-resource nature of this region.

A Survey of Bluetongue Infection and Associated Risk Factors among the One-Humped Camel (Camelus dromedaries) in Gadarif State, Eastern Sudan.

Bluetongue (BT) is an infectious, noncontagious, vector-borne viral disease that affects wild and domestic ruminants transmitted by Culicoides spp. A cross-sectional study was carried out during the period 2016-2017 in Gadarif state. A total of 276 sera samples were collected from camels in six localities of Gadarif state, eastern Sudan, to investigate bluetongue virus (BTV) seroprevalence and associated risk factors of BTV infection including age, sex, breed, locality, and ecology of the region. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for estimation of BTV seroprevalence rate. The overall BTV seroprevalence rate was 96.7% in the study area ranging from 93.5% to 100% in six screened localities with no significant differences. The findings revealed similar BTV seroprevalence rates in both males and females, but high rates were found in age group of less than one year and two to three years with estimated 100%. However, the lowest seroprevalence was found in the age group of five to four years with estimated BTV to be 92.3%. BTV seropositivity was not found to be statistically associated with examined different camel breeds which revealed 93%, 94.4%, 97.6%, and 97.8% seroprevalence in Bushari, Rashide, Arabi, and Anafi, breeds, respectively. Epidemiology of BTV assessment according to the ecology of the area showed high BTV seroprevalence in desert and savanna with estimated 100% and lower BTV seroprevalence in arid and rich savanna with estimated 94.8% and 95.7%, respectively. There was no significant association between BTV ELISA positivity and sex, breed, and ecology of the area.

Sero-epidemiological survey of bluetongue disease in one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Kassala State, Eastern Sudan.

BACKGROUND: Bluetongue (BT) is a vector-borne viral disease of ruminant and camelid species which is transmitted by Culicoides spp. The causative agent of BT is bluetongue virus (BTV) that belongs to genus Orbivirus of the family Reoviridae. The clinical disease is seen mainly in sheep but mostly sub-clinical infections of BT are seen in cattle, goats and camelids. The clinical reaction of camels to infection is usually not apparent. The disease is notifiable to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), causing great economic losses due to decreased trade and high mortality and morbidity rates associated with bluetongue outbreaks. The objective of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of BTV in camels in Kassala State, Eastern Sudan and to identify the potential risk factors associated with the infection. A cross sectional study using a structured questionnaire survey was conducted during 2015-2016. A total of 210 serum samples were collected randomly from camels from 8 localities of Kassala State. The serum samples were screened for the presence of BTV specific immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA). RESULTS: Seropositivity to BTV IgG was detected in 165 of 210 camels' sera accounting for a prevalence of 78.6%. Potential risk factors to BTV infection were associated with sex (OR = 0.061, p-value = 0.001) and seasonal river as water source for drinking (OR = 32.257, p-value = 0.0108). CONCLUSIONS: Sex and seasonal river as water source for drinking were considered as potential risk factors for seropositivity to BTV in camels. The high prevalence of BTV in camels in Kassala State, Eastern Sudan, necessitates further epidemiological studies of BTV infection in camels and other ruminant species to better be able to control BT disease in this region.

Prevalence and risk factors of Hantavirus infection in patients undergoing hemodialysis in Khartoum, Sudan, in 2019: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Hantaviruses are enveloped negative sense RNA viruses that cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of Hantavirus IgG antibodies and possible risk factors for Hantaviruses infections among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients attending the Dr Salma dialysis center in Sudan. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study in which 91 ESRD patients and 30 healthy plasma samples were screened for Hantavirus IgG antibodies using ELISA. A questionnaire containing sociodemographics, history of rat exposure and clinical data information was filled in by each ESRD patient. RESULTS: In this study, 9 out of 91 ESRD patients (9.9%) tested positive for Hantaviruses antibodies (IgG) while none of the 30 healthy plasma samples showed seropositivity. There was no statistically significant association between age, gender, educational level and rat exposure and Hantavirus infection in ESRD patients (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: This study is the first to be conducted in Sudan regarding Hantaviruses and ESRD. The prevalence of Hantavirus antibodies among ESRD patients is high compared with findings reported in the literature from studies conducted on the same group of patients. It points to an interesting question as to whether Hantaviruses have an association with ESRD but further studies are needed before drawing any conclusions.

Prevalence of Antibodies to Simbu Serogroup Viruses in Cattle in Sudan.

The Simbu serogroup is one of the serogroups that belong to the Orthobunyavirus genus of the family Peribunyaviridae. Simbu serogroup viruses are transmitted mainly by Culicoides biting midges. Meager information is available on Simbu serogroup virus infection in ruminants in Sudan. Therefore, in this study, serological surveillance of Simbu serogroup viruses in cattle in seven states in Sudan was conducted during the period from May, 2015, to March, 2016, to shed some light on the prevalence of this group of viruses in our country. Using a cross-sectional design, 184 cattle sera were collected and tested by a commercial SBV ELISA kit which enables the detection of antibodies against various Simbu serogroup viruses. The results showed an overall 86.4% prevalence of antibodies to Simbu serogroup viruses in cattle in Sudan. Univariate analysis showed a significant association (p=0.007) between ELISA seropositivity and states where samples were collected. This study suggests that Simbu serogroup virus infection is present in cattle in Sudan. Further epizootiological investigations on Simbu serogroup viruses infection and virus species involved are warranted.

Serological Investigations of Bluetongue Virus (BTV) among Sheep and Goats in Kassala State, Eastern Sudan.

Bluetongue (BT) is an infectious, noncontagious, vector-borne viral disease of wild and domestic ruminants. BTV is a member of the Orbivirus genus of the family Reoviridae. The present study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of BTV in sheep and goats in Kassala State, Sudan. It also aimed to determine risk factors associated with BTV infection. The study was carried out by a structured questionnaire survey, and a total of 809 serum samples were collected from sheep (n = 459) and goats (n = 350) from 9 different localities in Kassala state. These samples were analyzed using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for the detection of BTV antibodies. The overall seroprevalence of BTV was 91.2% (738/809). In goats, the prevalence of BTV antibodies was comparatively higher (100%) than in sheep (84.5%). The prevalence differed between localities and was the highest in the center section of Kassala and Western Kassala (100%). Animals aged 6-11 months were highly infected (93.9%) compared to 1-year-old (85.5%). Caprine species was more likely to be infected (100%) than ovine (84.5%), and females were highly infected (92.8%) than males (85.5%). BTV infections were higher in the winter season (91.4%). Risk factors that showed significant associations with cELISA positivity included locality and sex (p ≤ 0.003) and species and age (p ≤ 0.000). Factors significantly associated with cELISA positivity in multivariate analysis were localities, species, age, and sex. BTV infection is prevalent in sheep and goat populations in Kassala state.

Occult hepatitis B virus infection in Sudan: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

In its occult form, hepatitis B virus infection can only be detected using molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, increasing the cost of the screening process. Certain population subgroups are considered to have a higher risk of transmission and reactivation of occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI). This review aims to estimate the prevalence of OBI among these high-risk groups in Sudan. It was conducted under the PRISMA guidelines, targeting the literature available in MEDLINE/PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library databases. Full-text articles published in the last 10 years that provide prevalence estimates of OBI in Sudan were examined for fulfillment of eligibility criteria. Quality assessment of selected articles was performed using the critical appraisal tool reported by Munn et al. Publication bias was assessed by visual examination of the funnel plot. Meta-analysis using the random-effects model with 95% confidence interval was used to calculate the overall and subgroup pooled prevalence of OBI. Literature search yielded a total of 717 studies, of which only 11 articles fulfilled all selection criteria. The overall pooled prevalence of OBI was found to be 15.51%, with a high level of heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis demonstrated a prevalence of 16.48% among blood donors, 13.36% among hemodialysis patients, and 12.59% among febrile patients. Evidence for possible publication bias was detected. This review provides crucial evidence for health authorities in Sudan, outlining the necessity for re-evaluation of the current screening strategies, especially among these high-risk groups.

The protection afforded to cattle immunized with Theileria annulata infected cell line is enhanced by subunit vaccine candidate TaSP.

Tropical theileriosis constraints the development of the dairy industry in the Sudan and vaccination using live attenuated schizont vaccines is considered a promising measure for its control. The present study was carried out to investigate the ability of recombinant T. annulata surface protein (TaSP) to improve the efficacy of the attenuated Atbara cell line in protecting calves against field challenge. To this end, 23 cross-bred (Friesian × Kenana) calves were divided into four groups. Animals in group 1 (n = 5) were left unvaccinated. Group 2 (n = 6) received the Atbara cell line, animals in group 3 (n = 6) were immunized with three doses of TaSP on days 21, 49 and 77, while animals in group 4 (n = 6) received the cell line vaccine on day 0 and three doses of TaSP in Freund's incomplete adjuvant at days 21, 49 and 77. Twenty-eight days after the last TaSP boost, all groups were challenged by exposing them to natural field tick infestation in a region known to be endemic for tropical theileriosis. No thermal reactions, piroplasms or schizonts were observed in the immunized animals following immunization. Upon challenge, all animals showed a range of symptoms of clinical theileriosis with variable degrees of severity. The application of TaSP alone appeared to have no effect in terms of protection. The efficacy of the cell line alone was lower than the 100% level of protection against mortality observed in the group that received the combined cell line vaccine and TaSP, suggesting a synergistic effect of this combination.

First report on molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Reticuloendotheliosis virus in Sudan.

The reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) group of retroviruses infects a wide range of avian species, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, quail, and prairie chickens. The infection can result in immunosuppression, runting syndrome, high mortality, acute reticular cell neoplasia, or T- and/or B-cell lymphoma. One PCR positive chicken spleen sample obtained in a previous study in addition to one Marek's disease and three fowl pox (FP) vaccine samples were investigated in this study. A PCR assay was performed to detect the presence of REV provirus DNA in these samples. The results indicated the contamination of fowl pox virus and Marek's disease vaccines with REV. In addition, detection of integration of REV inside the genome of fowl pox vaccine was confirmed using primers corresponding to the FPV DNA regions flanking the REV integration site. Alignments of two sequences, one from the spleen tissue and the other from contaminated FP vaccine with REV, with other REV (env) gene sequences obtained from GenBank indicated their high similarity. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis indicated that the partial part of (env) gene of our two isolates was closely related to variants from India, USA, Taiwan, and China. These results confirmed the contamination of commercial fowl pox and Marek's disease vaccines used in Sudan with REV. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the partial part of (env) gene sequences from Sudan was closely related to variants from India, USA, Taiwan, and China.

A molecular prevalence survey on Anaplasma infection among domestic ruminants in Khartoum State, Sudan.

This study was conducted in Khartoum State, Sudan to determine the prevalence and the risk factors associated with Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species infections in domestic ruminants. Blood samples were collected from a total of 594 animals from 32 different farms distributed in the three provinces of Khartoum State. Among the 196 cattle, 200 sheep, and 198 goats examined using PCR, 13.27%, 32.50%, and 35.86% were infected with Anaplasma spp., respectively, with an overall prevalence of 27.27%. Cattle were infected with A. marginale (10.71%), A. centrale (2.04%), and A. ovis (0.51%), while sheep and goats were infected with A. ovis being significantly higher compared with cattle. No Ehrlichia spp. was detected in domestic ruminant in Khartoum State. Prevalence rates of Anaplasma infections were highly associated with breed, location, season, and sex. The prevalence rates of Anaplasma infection were significantly higher in exotic goat breeds compared with indigenous, and the infection in sheep and cattle was significantly higher in summer and in autumn in goats. The Anaplasma spp. infection rate in goats was significantly higher in females. The infection rate was also significantly higher in Khartoum North in both sheep and goats. It could be concluded that Anaplasma infection is prevalent in small and large ruminants in Khartoum State. Therefore, further studies on the epidemiology of anaplasmosis, possible tick, lice, and flea vectors and reservoirs in Sudan are important.

ß-lactamases (bla TEM, bla SHV, bla CTXM-1, bla VEB, bla OXA-1 ) and class C ß-lactamases gene frequency in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from various clinical specimens in Khartoum State, Sudan: a cross sectional study.

Background:Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic bacterium, causing nosocomial infections with  intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms to a large group of antibiotics, including ß-lactams. This study aimed to determine the susceptibility pattern to selected antibiotics and to index the first reported ß-lactamases genes frequency in Ps. aeruginosa in Khartoum State, Sudan. Methods: 121 Ps. aeruginosa clinical isolates from various clinical specimens were used in this cross sectional study conducted in Khartoum State. Eighty isolates were confirmed as Ps.aeruginosa through conventional identification methods and species specific primers. The susceptibility pattern of the confirmed isolates to selected antibiotics was done following the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. Multiplex PCR was used for detection of seven ß-lactamase genes ( blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTXM-1, blaVEB, blaOXA-1, blaAmpC and blaDHA). Results: Of the 80 confirmed Ps. aeruginosa isolates, 8 (10%) were resistant to Imipenem while all isolates were resistant to Amoxicillin and Amoxyclav (100%). A total of 43 (54%) Ps. aeruginosa isolates were positive for blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTXM-1, blaVEB and blaOXA-1 genes, while 27 (34%) were positive for class C ß- Lactamases, and 20 (25%) were positive for both classes. Frequency of beta-lactamases genes was as follows: blaTEM, 19 (44.2%); blaSHV, 16 (37.2%); bla CTX-M1, 10 (23.3%); blaVEB, 14 (32.6%); blaOXA-1, 7 (16.3%). blaAmpC 22 (81.5%) and bla DHA 8 (29.6%).  In total, 3 (11.1%) isolates were positive for both bla AmpC and blaDHA genes. Conclusion:Ps. aeruginosa isolates showed a high rate of ß- lactamases production, with co-resistance to other antibiotic classes. The lowest resistance rate of Ps. aeruginosa was to Imipenem followed by Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin. No statistically significant relationship between production of ß-lactamases in Ps. aeruginosa and resistance to third generation cephalosporins was found.

Serological and molecular identification of Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) in chickens in Sudan.

BACKGROUND: Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) is a gammaretrovirus that belongs to the family of Retroviridae. The infection can result in immunosuppression, runting syndrome, high mortality, acute reticular cell neoplasia or T- and/ or B-cell lymphoma, in a variety of domestic and wild birds. The disease is widespread around the world. No related data have been reported in Sudan about the disease. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of REV antibodies and DNA in local and commercial breeds of chickens older than 20 weeks from June 2014 to February, 2017. METHODS: A total of 460 sera samples and 150 (50 liver and 100 spleen) tissue samples were collected from local and commercial breeds of chickens older than 20 weeks and screened for anti-REV antibodies in four states of Sudan using a commercial REV antibody ELISA test kit (IDEXX). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect REV DNA in tissue samples in Khartoum State. RESULTS: The results revealed that the overall seroprevalence of REV was 74.6% among local and commercial chicken breeds, but in commercial it was 79.5% (190/239) and 69.2% in local breeds (153/221). One hundred and fifty tissue samples of chickens (50 liver, 100 spleen) were tested using PCR for detection of REV using primer sets of the conserved region in envelope glycoprotein (env) gene with a band length of 850 bp. Five out of 50 (10%) liver samples were RE provirus DNA positive detected by PCR, whereas 15 out of 100 (15%) spleen samples were PCR positive. Univariate analysis revealed there was a difference (p ≤ 0.05) between locality and breed of chickens and seropositivity to REV. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of the disease was high in Sudan and more studies are needed to evaluate the epidemiology and pathogenesis of the virus.

Theileria lestoquardi in Sudan is highly diverse and genetically distinct from that in Oman.

Malignant ovine theileriosis is a severe tick-borne protozoan disease of sheep and other small ruminants which is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. The disease is of considerable economic importance in Sudan as the export of livestock provides a major contribution to the gross domestic product of this country. Molecular surveys have demonstrated a high prevalence of sub-clinical infections of Theileria lestoquardi, the causative agent, among small ruminants. No information is currently available on the extent of genetic diversity and genetic exchange among parasites in different areas of the country. The present study used a panel of T. lestoquardi specific micro- and mini-satellite genetic markers to assess diversity of parasites in Sudan (Africa) and compared it to that of the parasite population in Oman (Asia). A moderate level of genetic diversity was observed among parasites in Sudan, similar to that previously documented among parasites in Oman. However, a higher level of mixed-genotype infection was identified in Sudanese animals compared to Omani animals, consistent with a higher rate of tick transmission. In addition, the T. lestoquardi genotypes detected in these two countries form genetically distinct groups. The results of this work highlight the need for analysis of T. lestoquardi populations in other endemic areas in the region to inform on novel approaches for controlling malignant theileriosis.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Theileria parva in South Sudan.

Theileria parva is a parasitic protozoan that causes East Coast fever (ECF), an economically important disease of cattle in eastern, central and southern Africa. In South Sudan, ECF is considered a major constraint for livestock development in regions where the disease is endemic. To obtain insights into the dynamics of T. parva in South Sudan, population genetic analysis was performed. Out of the 751 samples included in this study, 178 blood samples were positive for T. parva by species-specific PCR, were collected from cattle from four regions in South Sudan (Bor = 62; Juba = 45; Kajo keji = 41 and Yei = 30) were genotyped using 14 microsatellite markers spanning the four chromosomes. The T. parva Muguga strain was included in the study as a reference. Linkage disequilibrium was evident when populations from the four regions were treated as a single entity, but, when populations were analyzed separately, linkage disequilibrium was observed in Bor, Juba and Kajo keji. Juba region had a higher multiplicity of infection than the other three regions. Principal components analysis revealed a degree of sub-structure between isolates from each region, suggesting that populations are partially distinct, with genetic exchange and gene flow being limited between parasites in the four geographically separated populations studied. Panmixia was observed within individual populations. Overall T. parva population genetic analyses of four populations in South Sudan exhibited a low level of genetic exchange between the populations, but a high level of genetic diversity within each population.

Seroprevalence of spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae infection in domestic ruminants in Khartoum State, Sudan.

Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiosis is caused by obligatory intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that belong to the genus Rickettsia. Ticks belonging to the family Ixodidae can act as vectors, reservoirs or amplifiers of SFG rickettsiae. This study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of SFG rickettsioses in cattle, sheep and goats from Khartoum State, Sudan. Blood samples were collected from a total of 600 animals (sheep, goats and cattle) from 32 different farms distributed in three locations in Khartoum State during the period January to December 2012. Sera were tested for antibodies against SFG rickettsiae using IFAT. The prevalence of seropositivity was 59.3% in sheep, 60.1% in goats and 64.4% in cattle. Season was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with seroprevalence of SFG rickettsiae in cattle during winter. The SFG rickettsiae antibodies prevalence was significantly higher in female compared with male in sheep, but there were no significant differences between male and female in either cattle or goats. The prevalence was significantly higher in adult animals compared with young in both sheep and goats. With regard to management system, there was a significant difference in the prevalence in cattle raised in closed system compared with those raised in semi-intensive system. In contrast, there was significant difference in the seroprevalence of SFG in sheep where the prevalence was higher in the sheep raised in semi-intensive system compared with those raised in close system. There was no significant difference in the seroprevalence in goats with regard to management systems. The unexpected high prevalence of SFG rickettsia antibodies in domestic ruminants sera suggest that the veterinary and public health impact of these agents in Sudan need further evaluation especially in humans.

Genes encoding two Theileria parva antigens recognized by CD8+ T-cells exhibit sequence diversity in South Sudanese cattle populations but the majority of alleles are similar to the Muguga component of the live vaccine cocktail.

East Coast fever (ECF), caused by Theileria parva infection, is a frequently fatal disease of cattle in eastern, central and southern Africa, and an emerging disease in South Sudan. Immunization using the infection and treatment method (ITM) is increasingly being used for control in countries affected by ECF, but not yet in South Sudan. It has been reported that CD8+ T-cell lymphocytes specific for parasitized cells play a central role in the immunity induced by ITM and a number of T. parva antigens recognized by parasite-specific CD8+ T-cells have been identified. In this study we determined the sequence diversity among two of these antigens, Tp1 and Tp2, which are under evaluation as candidates for inclusion in a sub-unit vaccine. T. parva samples (n = 81) obtained from cattle in four geographical regions of South Sudan were studied for sequence polymorphism in partial sequences of the Tp1 and Tp2 genes. Eight positions (1.97%) in Tp1 and 78 positions (15.48%) in Tp2 were shown to be polymorphic, giving rise to four and 14 antigen variants in Tp1 and Tp2, respectively. The overall nucleotide diversity in the Tp1 and Tp2 genes was π = 1.65% and π = 4.76%, respectively. The parasites were sampled from regions approximately 300 km apart, but there was limited evidence for genetic differentiation between populations. Analyses of the sequences revealed limited numbers of amino acid polymorphisms both overall and in residues within the mapped CD8+ T-cell epitopes. Although novel epitopes were identified in the samples from South Sudan, a large number of the samples harboured several epitopes in both antigens that were similar to those in the T. parva Muguga reference stock, which is a key component in the widely used live vaccine cocktail.

Molecular Detection of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Among Infants with Congenital Anomalies in Khartoum State, Sudan.

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection still represents the most common potentially serious viral complication in humans and is a major cause of congenital anomalies in infants. This study is aimed to detect HCMV in infants with congenital anomalies. Study subjects consisted of infants born with neural tube defect, hydrocephalus and microcephaly. Fifty serum specimens (20 males, 30 females) were collected from different hospitals in Khartoum State. The sera were investigated for cytomegalovirus specific immunoglobin M (IgM) antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and for Cytomegalovirus DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Out of the 50 sera tested, one patient's (2%) sample showed HCMV IgM, but with no detectable DNA, other 4(8.2 %) sera were positive for HCMV DNA but with no detectable IgM. Various diagnostic techniques should be considered to evaluate HCMV disease and routine screening for HCMV should be introduced for pregnant women in this setting. It is vital to initiate further research work with many samples from different area to assess prevalence and characterize HCMV and evaluate its maternal health implications.