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We conducted a survey for group-specific indirect immunofluorescence antibody to mammarenaviruses by using Lassa fever and Mopeia virus antigens on serum specimens of 5,363 rodents of 33 species collected in South Africa and Zimbabwe during 1964-1994. Rodents were collected for unrelated purposes or for this study and stored at -70°C. We found antibody to be widely distributed in the 2 countries; antibody was detected in serum specimens of 1.2%-31.8% of 14 species of myomorph rodents, whereas 19 mammarenavirus isolates were obtained from serum specimens and viscera of 4 seropositive species. Phylogenetic analysis on the basis of partial nucleoprotein sequences indicates that 14 isolates from Mastomys natalensis, the Natal multimammate mouse, were Mopeia virus, whereas Merino Walk virus was characterized as a novel virus in a separate study. The remaining 4 isolates from 3 rodent species potentially constitute novel viruses pending full characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rabies remains a global public health problem but increasingly so in the developing world. Given a lack of awareness, priority and diagnostic capability, very few developing countries, especially in Africa, report on laboratory confirmed human rabies cases. Here we present a retrospective study on the epidemiology of human rabies in Republic of South Africa for a 25-year period, 1983–2007, based on laboratory confirmed cases. The study highlights the role of the domestic dog as a reservoir and vector of rabies and contrasts this to the almost negligible contribution of wildlife vectors to the overall burden of human rabies in dog rabies endemic areas. From the collective data set, epidemiological aspects that include various features of these human rabies cases as well as failures in or towards the treatment of exposures are reported. Molecular analysis of virus isolates did not identify any additional cases of rabies attributed to infection with the Duvenhage, Lagos bat or Mokola or any other rabies-related viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]