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Genetic profile of African swine fever virus responsible for the 2019 outbreak in northern Malawi
G. Misinzo
SACIDS Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1827-6403
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Veterinary Research.
Background: African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious transboundary animal disease which causes high mortality, approaching 100% in domestic pigs and it is currently considered as the most serious constraint to domestic pig industry and food security globally. Despite regular ASF outbreaks within Malawi, few studies have genetically characterized the causative ASF virus (ASFV). This study aimed at genetic characterization of ASFV responsible for the 2019 outbreak in northern Malawi. The disease confirmation was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by molecular characterization of the causative ASFV by partial genome sequencing and phylogenetic reconstruction of the B646L (p72) gene, nucleotide alignment of the intergenic region (IGR) between I73R and I329L genes and translation of the central variable region (CVR) coded by B602L gene.
Results: All thirteen samples collected during this study in Karonga district in September 2019 were ASFV-positive and after partial genome sequencing and phylogenetic reconstruction of the B646L (p72) gene, the viruses clustered into ASFV p72 genotype II. The viruses characterized in this study lacked a GAATATATAG fragment between the I173R and the I329L genes and were classified as IGR I variants. Furthermore, the tetrameric amino acid repeats within the CVR of the B602L gene of the 2019 Malawian ASFV reported in this study had the signature BNDBNDBNAA, 100% similar to ASFV responsible for the 2013 and 2017 ASF outbreaks in Zambia and Tanzania, respectively.
Conclusions: The results of this study confirm an ASF outbreak in Karonga district in northern Malawi in September 2019. The virus was closely related to other p72 genotype II ASFV that caused outbreaks in neighboring eastern and southern African countries, emphasizing the possible regional transboundary transmission of this ASFV genotype. These findings call for a concerted regional and international effort to control the spread of ASF in order to improve nutritional and food security.
Keywords
African swine fever virus, Asfarviridae, domestic pigs, molecular characterization, Malawi
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On 28 Aug, 2020
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Editorial decision: Accept
On 20 Aug, 2020
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On 03 Aug, 2020
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On 02 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Editor assigned
On 03 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 02 Aug, 2020
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On 30 Jul, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 30 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 23 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 21 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 21 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Review #1 received
Received 06 Jul, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 06 Jul, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 10 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 02 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 07 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 27 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 26 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 26 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 24 Apr, 2020
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Subject Areas
Large Animal Medicine
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Veterinary Research. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Genetic profile of African swine fever virus responsible for the 2019 outbreak in northern Malawi
G. Misinzo
SACIDS Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1827-6403
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 4
Posted 10 Aug, 2020
Published
On 28 Aug, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 20 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 03 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 02 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 02 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Editor assigned
On 03 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 02 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 30 Jul, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 30 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 23 Jul, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 21 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 21 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Review #1 received
Received 06 Jul, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 06 Jul, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 10 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 02 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 07 May, 2020
Editor assigned
On 27 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 26 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 26 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 24 Apr, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Large Animal Medicine
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Veterinary Research.
Background: African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious transboundary animal disease which causes high mortality, approaching 100% in domestic pigs and it is currently considered as the most serious constraint to domestic pig industry and food security globally. Despite regular ASF outbreaks within Malawi, few studies have genetically characterized the causative ASF virus (ASFV). This study aimed at genetic characterization of ASFV responsible for the 2019 outbreak in northern Malawi. The disease confirmation was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by molecular characterization of the causative ASFV by partial genome sequencing and phylogenetic reconstruction of the B646L (p72) gene, nucleotide alignment of the intergenic region (IGR) between I73R and I329L genes and translation of the central variable region (CVR) coded by B602L gene.
Results: All thirteen samples collected during this study in Karonga district in September 2019 were ASFV-positive and after partial genome sequencing and phylogenetic reconstruction of the B646L (p72) gene, the viruses clustered into ASFV p72 genotype II. The viruses characterized in this study lacked a GAATATATAG fragment between the I173R and the I329L genes and were classified as IGR I variants. Furthermore, the tetrameric amino acid repeats within the CVR of the B602L gene of the 2019 Malawian ASFV reported in this study had the signature BNDBNDBNAA, 100% similar to ASFV responsible for the 2013 and 2017 ASF outbreaks in Zambia and Tanzania, respectively.
Conclusions: The results of this study confirm an ASF outbreak in Karonga district in northern Malawi in September 2019. The virus was closely related to other p72 genotype II ASFV that caused outbreaks in neighboring eastern and southern African countries, emphasizing the possible regional transboundary transmission of this ASFV genotype. These findings call for a concerted regional and international effort to control the spread of ASF in order to improve nutritional and food security.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3