Enzootische Übertragungszyklen von Rifttal Fieber und Krim Kongo Hämorrhagisches Fieber Viren (Bunyaviridae) in Sambia und Mosambik

• Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Martin Groschup
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Tiermedizin
• Förderung: Förderung von 2018 bis 2024
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 411112205

• Erstellungsjahr: 2025

Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse

The DFG-funded Bunyavirus project was initiated to foster scientific collaboration between Germany and researchers in Zambia (Central Veterinary Research Institute (CVRI) in Lusaka) and Mozambique (Eduardo Mondane University in Maputo). Scientifically it aimed to investigate the occurrence of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) viruses, both of which can cause deadly diseases in humans, livestock and/or wildlife. These Bunyaviral infections are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, but the life cycles of the two causative viruses are only poorly understood. RVFV is transmitted by a variety of mosquito species, while CCHFV is spread and transmitted by ixodid ticks. Key scientific results from the project include detecting CCHFV antibodies in about 50% of the cattle tested in Mozambique, marking the first such discovery in the country. However, no viruses were found in the ticks collected, likely due to seasonal factors and tick species selection. RVFV seroprevalence in Mozambique was lower (28.5%) than previously reported, with significant regional variations. The differences in RVFV prevalence across regions may be due to geographical barriers limiting animal interaction and mosquito exposure. The situation in Zambia was somewhat different: Here, the CCHFV seroprevalence in cattle (7.33%) and small ruminants (7.27%) was significantly lower. This is consistent with the previously published seroprevalence in cattle of 8.4% reported in the years 2012-2014. The RVFV serology results were also similar to previous studies. Furthermore, we found a number of interesting bacterial pathogens (Rickettsia, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma) in the collected ticks, which have not yet been described in the country and/or have generally been found only rarely on the African continent. The project faced significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted travel, sample collection, and in-person meetings between partners initially planned extent because of the short period of project activities in the end. To summarize, despite pandemic-related setbacks, the project provided valuable insights into vector-borne diseases in the two countries and strengthened scientific expertise and capacities in the partner countries. All partner laboratories are now prepared to diagnose and characterize emerging virus diseases in their countries.

Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)

• Molecular detection of Rickettsia felis in dogs, rodents and cat fleas in Zambia. Parasites & Vectors, 12(1).
  Moonga, Lavel Chinyama; Hayashida, Kyoko; Nakao, Ryo; Lisulo, Malimba; Kaneko, Chiho; Nakamura, Ichiro; Eshita, Yuki; Mweene, Aaron S.; Namangala, Boniface; Sugimoto, Chihiro & Yamagishi, Junya
  
• Mechanisms of inter-epidemic maintenance of Rift Valley fever phlebovirus. Antiviral Research, 174, 104692.
  Rissmann, Melanie; Stoek, Franziska; Pickin, Matthew J. & Groschup, Martin H.
  
• Potential toxic elements in groundwater and their health risk assessment in drinking water of Limpopo National Park, Gaza Province, Southern Mozambique. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 42(9), 2733-2745.
  Ricolfi, Lorenzo; Barbieri, Maurizio; Muteto, Paulino Vicente; Nigro, Angela; Sappa, Giuseppe & Vitale, Stefania
  
• Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus antibody prevalence in Mauritanian livestock (cattle, goats, sheep and camels) is stratified by the animal’s age. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15(4), e0009228.
  Schulz, Ansgar; Barry, Yahya; Stoek, Franziska; Ba, Aliou; Schulz, Jana; Haki, Mohamed L.; Sas, Miriam A.; Doumbia, Baba A.; Kirkland, Peter; Bah, Mohamed Y.; Eiden, Martin & Groschup, Martin H.
  
• Epidemiology of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Africa—Underestimated for Decades. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 104(6), 1978-1990.
  Temur, Ahmet Irfan; Kuhn, Jens H.; Pecor, David B.; Apanaskevich, Dmitry A. & Keshtkar-Jahromi, Maryam
  
• Molecular Detection and Characterization of Rickettsia asembonensis in Human Blood, Zambia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(8), 2237-2239.
  Moonga, Lavel C.; Hayashida, Kyoko; Mulunda, Namwiinga R.; Nakamura, Yukiko; Chipeta, James; Moonga, Hawela B.; Namangala, Boniface; Sugimoto, Chihiro; Mtonga, Zephaniah; Mutengo, Mable & Yamagishi, Junya
  
• Molecular Detection and Characterization of Rickettsia Species in Ixodid Ticks Collected From Cattle in Southern Zambia. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8.
  Chitanga, Simbarashe; Chibesa, Kennedy; Sichibalo, Karen; Mubemba, Benjamin; Nalubamba, King S.; Muleya, Walter; Changula, Katendi & Simulundu, Edgar
  
• Rickettsia lusitaniae in Ornithodoros Porcinus Ticks, Zambia. Pathogens, 10(10), 1306.
  Chitanga, Simbarashe; Chambaro, Herman M.; Moonga, Lavel C.; Hayashida, Kyoko; Yamagishi, Junya; Muleya, Walter; Changula, Katendi; Mubemba, Benjamin; Simbotwe, Manyando; Squarre, David; Fandamu, Paul; Nalubamba, King S.; Qiu, Yongjin; Hirofumi, Sawa & Simulundu, Edgar
  
• Risk factors associated with exposure to Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus in animal workers and cattle, and molecular detection in ticks, South Africa. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15(5), e0009384.
  Msimang, Veerle; Weyer, Jacqueline; le Roux, Chantel; Kemp, Alan; Burt, Felicity J.; Tempia, Stefano; Grobbelaar, Antoinette; Moolla, Naazneen; Rostal, Melinda K.; Bagge, Whitney; Cordel, Claudia; Karesh, William B.; Paweska, Janusz T. & Thompson, Peter N.
  
• Screening of tick-borne pathogens in argasid ticks in Zambia: Expansion of the geographic distribution of Rickettsia lusitaniae and Rickettsia hoogstraalii and detection of putative novel Anaplasma species. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 12(4), 101720.
  Qiu, Yongjin; Simuunza, Martin; Kajihara, Masahiro; Chambaro, Herman; Harima, Hayato; Eto, Yoshiki; Simulundu, Edgar; Squarre, David; Torii, Shiho; Takada, Ayato; Hang’ombe, Bernard Mudenda; Sawa, Hirofumi; Sugimoto, Chihiro & Nakao, Ryo
  
• Serologic and molecular evidence for circulation of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in ticks and cattle in Zambia. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15(6), e0009452.
  Kajihara, Masahiro; Simuunza, Martin; Saasa, Ngonda; Dautu, George; Mori-Kajihara, Akina; Qiu, Yongjin; Nakao, Ryo; Eto, Yoshiki; Furumoto, Hayato; Hang’ombe, Bernard M.; Orba, Yasuko; Sawa, Hirofumi; Simulundu, Edgar; Fukushi, Shuetsu; Morikawa, Shigeru; Saijo, Masayuki; Arikawa, Jiro; Kabilika, Swithine; Monze, Mwaka ... & Yoshimatsu, Kumiko
  
• Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Cattle of Smallholder Farmers in Central Malawi. Pathogens, 10(12), 1613.
  Phonera, Marvin Collen; Simuunza, Martin Chitolongo; Kainga, Henson; Ndebe, Joseph; Chembensofu, Mwelwa; Chatanga, Elisha; Kanyanda, Setiala; Changula, Katendi; Muleya, Walter; Mubemba, Benjamin; Chitanga, Simbarashe; Kajihara, Masahiro; Sawa, Hirofumi; Njunga, Gilson; Takada, Ayato & Simulundu, Edgar
  
• Current knowledge of vector-borne zoonotic pathogens in Zambia: A clarion call to scaling-up “One Health” research in the wake of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 16(2), e0010193.
  Mubemba, Benjamin; Mburu, Monicah M.; Changula, Katendi; Muleya, Walter; Moonga, Lavel C.; Chambaro, Herman M.; Kajihara, Masahiro; Qiu, Yongjin; Orba, Yasuko; Hayashida, Kyoko; Sutcliffe, Catherine G.; Norris, Douglas E.; Thuma, Philip E.; Ndubani, Phillimon; Chitanga, Simbarashe; Sawa, Hirofumi; Takada, Ayato & Simulundu, Edgar
  
• Detection of Tick-Borne Bacterial and Protozoan Pathogens in Ticks from the Zambia–Angola Border. Pathogens, 11(5), 566.
  Qiu, Yongjin; Simuunza, Martin; Kajihara, Masahiro; Ndebe, Joseph; Saasa, Ngonda; Kapila, Penjani; Furumoto, Hayato; Lau, Alice C. C.; Nakao, Ryo; Takada, Ayato & Sawa, Hirofumi
  
• Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma spp. in cattle and sable antelope from Lusaka and North-Western provinces of Zambia. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, 39, 100847.
  Mwale, Rhodasi; Mulavu, Malala; Khumalo, Cynthia Sipho; Mukubesa, Andrew; Nalubamba, King; Mubemba, Benjamin; Changula, Katendi; Simulundu, Edgar; Chitanga, Simbarashe; Namangala, Boniface; Mataa, Liywali; Zulu, Victor Chisha; Munyeme, Musso & Muleya, Walter
  
• Rickettsia spp. in Ticks of South Luangwa Valley, Eastern Province, Zambia. Microorganisms, 11(1), 167.
  Phiri, Bruno S. J.; Kattner, Simone; Chitimia-Dobler, Lidia; Woelfel, Silke; Albanus, Celina; Dobler, Gerhard & Küpper, Thomas