RESUMO
Different species of adenoviruses (AdVs) infect humans and animals and are known for their role as pathogens, especially in humans, with animals, primarily rodents, often serving as model systems. However, although we know over 100 types of human AdVs, we know comparatively little about the diversity of animal AdVs. Due to the fact that rodents are the most diverse family of mammals and a standard model system for human disease, we set out to sample African rodents native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and test them for AdV DNA using a semi-nested consensus PCR. A total of 775 animals were tested, and viral DNA was detected in four of them. The AdV DNA found belongs to three different AdVs, all being closely related to murine adenovirus 2 (MAdV-2). Considering the genetic differences of the amplicon were 9%, 11% and 19% from MAdV-2 and at least 10% from each other, they seem to belong to up to three different novel types within the Murine mastadenovirus B species. This evidence of genetic diversity highlights the opportunities to isolate and study additional AdVs that infect rodents as models for AdV biology and pathology.
RESUMO
The purpose of this report is to describe the results of virological surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a war-torn country. A total of 3658 stool samples were collected from patients with AFP in provinces under government control and processed as recommended by WHO. The number of specimens tested increased from 32 in 1997 to 2471 in 2001 as the national epidemiologic surveillance program for AFP improved. The national reference laboratory accredited in 1999 was appraised on the basis of the annual rate of non-polio enterovirus isolation which rose from 10% in 1999 to 20% in 2001 and by the percentage of lab results reported within 28 days which rose from 50% in 1999 to over the 80% threshold required by WHO in 2001. From 1997 to 2001, 68 strains of wild poliovirus were isolated including 52 type 1 strains, one type 2 strain and 15 type 3 strains. Most cases of poliomyelitis (81%) reported between 1997 and 2001 involved children aged 0 to 5 years. Only 12% of cases involved children aged 6 to 14 years and 3% involved young adults. Sixty-seven percent of the 45 poliomyelitis patients with documented vaccine status had received 0 to 3 doses of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). Fifteen children (33%) developed the disease despite having received more than 4 required doses of OPV. Since 1997 three provinces of DRC, ie., Bas-Congo, Kinshasa city and Nord-Kivu, have been free of wild poliovirus. In 2001 wild poliovirus circulation had been stopped throughout the country thanks to implementation of routine immunization and especially of the national immunization days (NIDs) program.
