The distribution of African swine fever virus isolated fromOrnithodoros moubatain Zambia

Abstract

African swine fever (ASF) has been reported in the Eastern Province of Zambia since 1912 and is now considered to be enzootic there. A survey of the distribution of ASF virus in Zambia was carried out by virus isolation from Ornithodoros moubata ticks collected from animal burrows in National Parks and Game Management Areas in northern, eastern, central and southern Zambia. ASF virus was isolated from ticks in all areas examined. The prevalence of infection in O. moubata was between 0·4% in South Luangwa National Park and 5·1% in Livingstone Game Park and mean infectious virus titres ranged from 103–4 HAD50/tick in Kakumbe Game Management Area to 105·9 HAD50/tick in Chunga and Nalusanga Game Management Areas. The prevalence of infection in adult ticks was between 4·7% and 5·3% in all areas examined except Sumbu National Park and Livingstone Game Park, where the prevalence was 15·1% and 13·2% respectively in adult ticks. The ratio of infected females to males for all the infected adult ticks in all areas of Zambia was 3·2:1.