Serological evidence of rift valley fever virus among acute febrile patients in Southern Mozambique during and after the
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Serological evidence of rift valley fever virus among acute febrile patients in Southern Mozambique during and after the 2013 heavy rainfall and flooding: implication for the management of febrile illness Eduardo Samo Gudo1*, Gabriela Pinto1, Jacqueline Weyer2, Chantel le Roux2, Arcildo Mandlaze1, Américo Feriano José1, Argentina Muianga1 and Janusz Tadeusz Paweska2,3
Abstract Background: Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) remains heavily neglected in humans in Mozambique, even though recent outbreaks were reported in neighboring countries in humans and several cases of RVFV in cattle were reported in several districts in Mozambique. Findings: We conducted a cross sectional study during and after severe flooding that occurred in 2013 in Mozambique. Paired acute and convalescent serum samples were tested from febrile patients attending a primary health care unit in a suburban area of Maputo city for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies against Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Seroconversion of IgG anti-RVFV was observed in 5 % (10/200) of convalescent patients and specific IgM anti-RVFV was detected in one acute patient (0.5 %; 1/200). All sera from acute patient tested negative by real time PCR. Conclusion: In conclusion, our results suggest that RVF represent an important but neglected cause of febrile illness following periods of flooding in southern Mozambique. Keywords: Rift valley fever virus, Heavy rainfall, Arbovirus, Sub-Saharan Africa
Introduction Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) is a mosquito borne zoonotic virus that has emerged as an important cause of febrile illness in several sub-Saharan countries [1–5], including those that share their borders with Mozambique, such as Tanzania and South Africa [4, 6–8]. The likelihood that RVF also causes disease in humans in Mozambique is high because of the geographical proximity, environmental similarities and frequent trade between Mozambique and * Correspondence: [email protected] 1 National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health, Av Eduardo Mondlane 1008, Ministry of Health Main Building, 2nd floor, PO Box 264, Maputo, Mozambique Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
these countries. In Mozambique, RVFV in humans has been poorly studied and only one study was conducted more than 30 years ago among healthy pregnant women and found a RVFV prevalence of 2 % [6]. Since then, no other study was conducted in humans in Mozambique. Recent publications demonstrated that anti-RVFV IgG was often detected in cattle in Maputo and Gaza Province, both situated in the southern Mozambique [9–11], and in two rural villages in the center of the country [12]. This reinforces the concern that RVFV may be causing undiagnosed disease in humans in Mozambique, particularly in places where recent cases of RVFV were reported in cattle [10–12]. The risk of outbreaks of RVFV in Mozambique is substantial, as the country is ranked the third most
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