MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF RABIES VIRUS IN SOUTH-AFRICA - EVIDENCE FOR2 DISTINCT VIRUS GROUPS

In order to derive phylogenetic relationships between rabies virus iso lates from different geographical locations and host species in South Africa, two genome regions of the virus, viz. the cytoplasmic domain o f the glycoprotein and the G-L intergenic region (pseudogene), were se quenced. A high level of nucleic acid sequence conservation indicated a close phylogenetic relationship between virus isolates from domestic dogs, jackals and bat-eared foxes, i.e. Canidae. These isolates appea red to be distinct from but closely related to European strains of rab ies virus. However, a phylogenetically distinguishable and distant gro up, which contained isolates from mongooses (i.e. Viverridae) was iden tifiable. The latter group appears to be distantly related to European and vaccine strains of rabies virus and may have evolved uniquely on the central plateau of South Africa. Our data also indicate that spill over from mongooses (or other viverrids) to canid hosts occurs occasio nally.