Research Projects

Vector borne viruses (arboviruses) have the potential to expand rapidly into new areas and belong mostly to the Flaviviridae, Bunyaviridae, Togaviridae, Reoviridae families. They have animal reservoirs including wildlife and birds from which they are able to be transmitted by insect or animal vectors to humans or sensitive animals where they can cause severe disease. Common arboviruses of medical importance in South Africa include West Nile virus (WNV), Sindbis virus, Rift Valley fever (RVF) and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). Typically arbovirus infections may present as febrile disease with a rash, muscle and joint pain in humans and occasionally results in encephalitis (RVF, WNV), hemorrhagic manifestations (RVF, CCHF and Dengue) or death in humans. Signs of virus activity in animals could be attributed to abortion storms in the case of RVF and Wesselsbron virus (WSLB); encephalitis (WNV; Shunivirus, Alphaviruses) or pulmonary and hemorrhagic disease (African horse sickness (AHSV), equine encephalosis (EEV). Surveying and screening animals which exhibit with these symptoms may be a good sentinel and early warning system to detect an increase in virus activity and identify potential outbreaks. Investigation of vector activity in areas where outbreaks matching these syndromes occur or where human and animal cases of specific viruses occur may help to solve the ecological-epidemiology, identify the reservoirs and predict outbreaks.

Please note:

The diagnostic services provided by the ZARV program are for research purposes and we therefore need as much clinical and epidemiological information as possible for the research to be worthwhile. A specimen submission form must accompany each specimen. Refer to the information sheet for type of specimen and address to send the specimens to. Please read the biosafety packaging sheet to safely handle and transport these specimens.
Investigations involve a range of tests that are covered through research grants, however due to the substantial cost to us we can only accept specimens that are send on ice to reach us in 2 days accompanied with a completed submission form.

Please contact us directly to discuss the case if you have specific questions

https://www.up.ac.za/centre-for-viral-zoonoses/article/2541034/zoonotic-arbo-and-respiratory-virus-program

Animal Surveillance Program	Human Surveillance Program	Vector Surveillance Program
The ZARV program investigates undiagnosed neurological disease in animals. Diagnostic tests have consisted principally of molecular procedures (RT-PCR) to detect viral genetic material (nucleic acid) in brain, spinal cord or blood samples, but the acquisition of a biosafety level 3 (BSL3) laboratory allow us to grow live virus from specimens and to prepare reagents for antibody tests, so as to facilitate making a diagnosis at different stages of infection: either detection of virus during acute illness (0-10 days from onset of signs), or demonstration of an immune response later (after 10 days). Furthermore, we shall progressively broaden the range of pathogens for which tests are conducted and attempt virus discovery if it cannot be solved with our current tests. For further information, please refer to the information sheet. However, it is not the responsibility of ZARV to provide a general diagnostic service for veterinary pathogens, particularly notifiable diseases, and these should be excluded by veterinary institutions, with whom we collaborate. Information sheet Specimen submission form Biosafety packaging sheet Brain specimen information	The ZARV program is involved in a transnational study called the African Network for Improved Diagnostics, Epidemiology and Management of common Infectious Agents (ANDEMIA). The aim of this study is to investigate and combat acute gastrointestinal (GI), respiratory tract (RTI) and acute febrile disease of unknown cause (AFDUC) infections across the African continent. The RTI and AFDUC arms of the South African study are run by the ZARV program at University of Pretoria (UP). Sentinel sites in South Arica include Kalafong Hospital (Gauteng) as an urban site as well as Mapulaneng and Matikwane Hospitals (Mpumalanga) as rural sites. Hospitalised patients are enrolled in the study under one of three case definitions for each syndrome. RTI samples include nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs and are tested for 33 viral and bacterial pathogens know to cause respiratory tract infections. AFDUC samples include blood, serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which are also tested via a multiplex PCR-ELISA based platform, developed by our group, called the Meningo-Chip. The ultimate goal of the study is to provide epidemiological intelligence behind the causes of human disease in South Africa as well to compare how the causes of disease may differ with our African partners. We are also involved in the NGS SA consortium and contribute to the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Gauteng.	ZARV has been conducting vector surveillance to determine the arboviral vector epidemiology of multiple vector species with particular focus on mosquito and Culicoides spp. Surveillance is conducted at multiple core and ad hoc sites across five provinces within South Africa, including urban areas in Gauteng Province (Boschkop & Kyalami) where regular cases of arboviruses have been detected in horses; wildlife reserves within Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province where cases of neurological disease in multiple wildlife species have been reported; and wildlife and human interfaces within North West Province and KwaZulu Natal Provinces following arboviral detection in humans or animals. For core sites, mosquito collections have been occurring monthly since 2011 resulting in eight years of ecological and viral surveillance data. Collected vectors are retrospectively screened for the presence of zoonotic arboviruses of public health significance, and assess the presence of emerging and reemerging infectious disease that may cause severe outbreak and high mortality in humans, livestock and wildlife. The mosquito and Culicoides flora is further described as a means of predicting outbreaks, assessing vector capacity and epidemiology and determining risk to host species.

Animal Surveillance Program

Human Surveillance Program

Vector Surveillance Program

The ZARV program investigates undiagnosed neurological disease in animals. Diagnostic tests have consisted principally of molecular procedures (RT-PCR) to detect viral genetic material (nucleic acid) in brain, spinal cord or blood samples, but the acquisition of a biosafety level 3 (BSL3) laboratory allow us to grow live virus from specimens and to prepare reagents for antibody tests, so as to facilitate making a diagnosis at different stages of infection: either detection of virus during acute illness (0-10 days from onset of signs), or demonstration of an immune response later (after 10 days). Furthermore, we shall progressively broaden the range of pathogens for which tests are conducted and attempt virus discovery if it cannot be solved with our current tests.

For further information, please refer to the information sheet. However, it is not the responsibility of ZARV to provide a general diagnostic service for veterinary pathogens, particularly notifiable diseases, and these should be excluded by veterinary institutions, with whom we collaborate.
Information sheet
Specimen submission form
Biosafety packaging sheet
Brain specimen information

The ZARV program is involved in a transnational study called the African Network for Improved Diagnostics, Epidemiology and Management of common Infectious Agents (ANDEMIA). The aim of this study is to investigate and combat acute gastrointestinal (GI), respiratory tract (RTI) and acute febrile disease of unknown cause (AFDUC) infections across the African continent. The RTI and AFDUC arms of the South African study are run by the ZARV program at University of Pretoria (UP). Sentinel sites in South Arica include Kalafong Hospital (Gauteng) as an urban site as well as Mapulaneng and Matikwane Hospitals (Mpumalanga) as rural sites. Hospitalised patients are enrolled in the study under one of three case definitions for each syndrome. RTI samples include nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs and are tested for 33 viral and bacterial pathogens know to cause respiratory tract infections. AFDUC samples include blood, serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which are also tested via a multiplex PCR-ELISA based platform, developed by our group, called the Meningo-Chip. The ultimate goal of the study is to provide epidemiological intelligence behind the causes of human disease in South Africa as well to compare how the causes of disease may differ with our African partners. We are also involved in the NGS SA consortium and contribute to the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Gauteng.

ZARV has been conducting vector surveillance to determine the arboviral vector epidemiology of multiple vector species with particular focus on mosquito and Culicoides spp. Surveillance is conducted at multiple core and ad hoc sites across five provinces within South Africa, including urban areas in Gauteng Province (Boschkop & Kyalami) where regular cases of arboviruses have been detected in horses; wildlife reserves within Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province where cases of neurological disease in multiple wildlife species have been reported; and wildlife and human interfaces within North West Province and KwaZulu Natal Provinces following arboviral detection in humans or animals. For core sites, mosquito collections have been occurring monthly since 2011 resulting in eight years of ecological and viral surveillance data. Collected vectors are retrospectively screened for the presence of zoonotic arboviruses of public health significance, and assess the presence of emerging and reemerging infectious disease that may cause severe outbreak and high mortality in humans, livestock and wildlife. The mosquito and Culicoides flora is further described as a means of predicting outbreaks, assessing vector capacity and epidemiology and determining risk to host species.

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