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Author Spotlight: A Cost-Effective Genomic Workflow for Advancing Rabies Control in Resource-Limited Settings
Published on: August 18, 2023
Phylogeography Analysis Reveals Rabies Epidemiology, Evolution, and Transmission in the Philippines
Liang Zhang1,2, Jeffrey Cruz3, Yao Tian4
1State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research of the Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Rabies virus in the Philippines primarily spreads within islands, forming three distinct lineages. This study provides crucial data for a national control program targeting dog-mediated rabies.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary epidemiology
- Molecular biology
- Public health
Background:
- Rabies poses a significant public health threat in the Philippines.
- Limited understanding of national animal rabies epidemiology since 2010.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a 12-year nationwide animal rabies surveillance.
- To perform systematic phylogenetic analysis of rabies virus genomes.
- To understand rabies transmission dynamics and genetic diversity in the Philippines.
Main Methods:
- Whole-genome sequencing of 353 rabies virus samples (2018-2022).
- Phylogenetic and spatial-temporal evolutionary analyses.
- Investigation of infected animal species and geographic distribution.
Main Results:
- Rabies viruses belong exclusively to the SEA4 subclade (Asian clade).
- Three major, geographically specific lineages were identified.
- Intra-island transmission is dominant; inter-island transmission is limited.
- Comprehensive data on infected species, distribution, and diversity were obtained.
Conclusions:
- Findings support a basis for a national control program for dog-mediated rabies.
- Understanding transmission dynamics aids in targeted rabies prevention strategies.
- The study highlights the importance of island-specific surveillance and control efforts.
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