A Review of the Utility of Established Cell Lines for Isolation and Propagation of the Southern African Territories Serotypes of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus.

Cell culture underpins virus isolation and virus neutralisation tests, which are both gold-standard diagnostic methods for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Cell culture is also crucial for the propagation of inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) vaccines. Both primary cells and cell lines are utilised in FMDV isolation and propagation.

Molecular Testing of Zoonotic Bacteria in Cattle, Sheep, and Goat Abortion Cases in Botswana.

Abortion is one of the major causes of economic losses in livestock production worldwide. Because several factors can lead to abortion in cattle, sheep and goats, laboratory diagnosis, including the molecular detection of pathogens causing abortion, is often necessary. Bacterial zoonotic diseases such as brucellosis, coxiellosis, leptospirosis, and listeriosis have been implicated in livestock abortion, but they are under diagnosed and under-reported in most developing countries, including Botswana.

Application of the Nagoya Protocol to veterinary pathogens: concerns for the control of foot-and-mouth disease.

The Nagoya Protocol is an international agreement adopted in 2010 (and entered into force in 2014) which governs access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from their utilisation. The agreement aims to prevent misappropriation of genetic resources and, through benefit sharing, create incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. While the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources is a widely accepted concept, the way in which the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol are currently being implemented through national access and benefit-sharing legislation places significant logistical challenges on the control of transboundary livestock diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

A novel multiplex qPCR‑HRM assay for the simultaneous detection of four abortive zoonotic agents in cattle, sheep, and goats.

Abortifacient pathogens induce substantial economic losses in the livestock industry worldwide, and many of these pathogens are zoonotic, impacting human health. As Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii, Leptospira spp.

A review of foot-and-mouth disease status and control measures in Botswana.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), an economically important disease of livestock, is endemic in Botswana. The country has been affected by this disease since the early 1930s, and FMD virus (FMDV) continues to circulate in both domestic and wild animal populations. Botswana is affected by the Southern African Territories (SAT1-3) of FMDV.

Heartwater: A situation report of the Southern district of Botswana from 2017 to 2019.

Heartwater is a tick-borne haemoparasitic disease that can limit agro-business expansion in Botswana. It poses a threat to national food security due to low animal production as well as livestock morbidity and mortality. This report gives a snapshot view of heartwater in the Southern district of Botswana.

Sustainable education and training in laboratory animal science and ethics in low- and middle-income countries in Africa - challenges, successes, and the way forward.

Despite the recognised need for education and training in laboratory animal science (LAS) and ethics in Africa, access to such opportunities has historically been limited. To address this, the Pan-African Network for Laboratory Animal Science and Ethics (PAN-LASE) was established to pioneer a support network for the development of education and training in LAS and ethics across the African continent.In the 4.

The first detection of a serotype O foot-and-mouth disease virus in Namibia.

This report describes the molecular characterization of a serotype O foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) recovered from a field outbreak in the Zambezi region, Namibia during July 2021. Sequence analysis demonstrates that this FMDV belongs to the O/EA-2 topotype sharing closest nucleotide identity (99.5%) to FMD viruses collected since 2018 in Zambia.

A Five-Year Retrospective Study of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreaks in Southern Africa, 2014 to 2018.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus (FMDv), like other ribonucleic acid (RNA) genome viruses, has a tendency to mutate rapidly. As such, available vaccines may not confer enough cross-protection against incursion of new lineages and sublineages. This paper is a retrospective study to determine the topotypes/lineages that caused previous FMD outbreaks in 6 southern African countries and the efficacy of the current vaccines to protect cattle against them.

Development of two rapid lateral flow test strips for detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus SAT 1 and SAT 3.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease that affects cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and over 70 species of wildlife. FMD continues to be a major economic concern for livestock productivity in many countries. FMDV has seven serotypes O, A, Asia 1, C, and Southern Africa Territories (SAT) 1, 2, and 3.

Assessment of the sensitivity of primary cells and cell lines to the Southern African Territories (SAT) serotypes in the diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

Virus isolation is the gold standard for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) detection in diagnostic procedures. This technique is heavily reliant on the use of sensitive cells for rapid and accurate detection of FMDV. To investigate the sensitivity of RM (primary lamb kidney cells), BHK-21 (baby hamster kidney cells) and IR-P1 (a derivative of female pig kidney cells) to infection with FMDV of the Southern African Territories (SAT) serotypes, we examined the virus concentration required to induce cytopathic effect (CPE) on each cell type.

Foot-and-mouth disease in Southern Ghana: occurrence and molecular characterization of circulating viruses.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is considered to be endemic in Ghana. However, our knowledge of the local epidemiology of the disease is restricted by a lack of serological information and data for characterized viruses causing field outbreaks. In order to improve our understanding of the prevailing situation, this study was initiated to establish the FMD viruses (FMDV) circulating in the country.

Outbreak investigations and molecular characterization of foot-and-mouth disease viruses circulating in south-west Niger.

In Niger, the epidemiological situation regarding foot-and-mouth disease is unclear as many outbreaks are unreported. This study aimed (i) to identify Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) strains currently circulating in cattle herds, and (ii) to identify risk factors associated with Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)-seropositive animals in clinical outbreaks. Epithelial tissues (n = 25) and sera (n = 227) were collected from cattle in eight districts of the south-western part of Niger.

Complete Genome Sequences of Three African Foot-and-Mouth Disease Viruses from Clinical Samples Isolated in 2009 and 2010.

The complete genome sequences of three foot-and-mouth disease viruses (one virus of each serotype SAT1, SAT2 and O) were directly sequenced from RNA extracted from clinical bovine samples, demonstrating the feasibility of full-genome sequencing from strong positive samples taken from symptomatic animals.

Serological Evidence of Rift Valley Fever Virus Circulation in Domestic Cattle and African Buffalo in Northern Botswana (2010-2011).

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is endemic in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and is responsible for severe outbreaks in livestock characterized by a sudden onset of abortions and high neonatal mortality. During the last decade, several outbreaks have occurred in Southern Africa, with a very limited number of cases reported in Botswana. To date, published information on the occurrence of RVF in wild and domestic animals from Botswana is very scarce and outdated, despite being critical to national and regional disease control.

Serological Survey of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) in Zambia.

A study was conducted to determine the serotypes of foot-and-mouth disease viruses (FMDV) circulating in African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) from selected areas in Zambia. Sera and probang samples were collected between 2011 and 2012 and analysed for presence of antibodies against FMDV while probang samples were used to isolate the FMDV by observing cytopathic effect (CPE). Samples with CPE were further analysed using antigen ELISA.

Tick-borne haemoparasites in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) from two wildlife areas in Northern Botswana.

Background: The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a host for many pathogens known to cause economically important diseases and is often considered an important reservoir for livestock diseases. Theileriosis, heartwater, babesiosis and anaplasmosis are considered the most important tick-borne diseases of livestock in sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in extensive economic losses to livestock farmers in endemic areas. Information on the distribution of tick-borne diseases and ticks is scarce in Northern Botswana.

Selection of vaccine strains of foot and mouth disease virus for use in southern Africa.

In the countries of Southern Africa, types SAT 1, SAT 2 and SAT 3 (SAT: Southern African Territories) of foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus are the most widely represented, especially the SAT 2 virus. Since 1982, examinations have been conducted on 139 isolates of these virus types. Other viruses, types O and A, have been detected in the north of this area.

Use of the caprinised strain of rinderpest virus for potency testing an attenuated cell culture rinderpest vaccine.

The caprinised strain of rinderpest virus was inoculated into goats to produce a challenge stock. These goats were kept with control animals (goats, sheep, calves). In this trial the caprinised strain was shown to have a mild pathogenicity for goats and it spread to one of two contact goats but not from goats to other species.