Page 83 - University of Pretoria RESEARCH REVIEW 2018
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close to human settlements. Published in PLOS One, their results also described multiple potential zoonotic viral families in this abundant species. Working with colleagues, Markotter also published the first account of the filovirus, Marburg, in South African fruit bat species (Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2018). Published in Viruses, Markotter described the antibody response in Egyptian Rousette bats, which correlated with the reproductive season of the bats, identifying high- risk periods for transmission to other animals and humans.
Professor Louis Nel from the Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology works on the control and elimination of rabies, in South Africa and abroad. With several journal articles published in 2018, including in the Lancet Global Health and the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Nel’s research focusses on the characteristics
and management of domestic
dogs. His research is used to help state veterinary services plan mass vaccination drives for domestic dogs. Nel is also working with the Global Alliance in Rabies Control to formalise the Asian Rabies Control Network. Published in Antiviral Research (2018), Nel and co-authors described the progress of member countries towards rabies elimination and identified gaps for future interventions.
Professor Armanda Bastos, Head of the Department of Zoology, is using genetic techniques to identify
pathogens in various animal taxa from around the world. Using a multi-gene PCR screening approach, Bastos and co-workers recorded that almost 70% of Baluchistan gerbils trapped over a year, in Saudi Arabia, tested positive for Bartonella, the bacteria responsible for cat scratch or trench fever
(Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 2018). Published in Virus Genes (2018), Bastos and co-authors described the rapid evolution of the African swine fever virus. Genetic profiling linked African swine fever outbreaks in Kenya to isolates from southern Africa, but with unique changes in the B602L gene.
  The Centre for Viral Zoonoses hosted a One Health symposium in November 2018 that brought together students and staff of UP, partners in the Department of Health, Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, and research institutes in Gauteng, including the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Onderstepoort Veterinary Research and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The day was supported by the European Union LEAP-Agri: Long-term Europe-Africa Research Network on neglected arboviral zoonotic diseases.
    Marietjie Venter
Wanda Markotter
Louis Nel
Armanda Bastos
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