Comparative vector competence of the Afrotropical soft tick Ornithodoros moubata and Palearctic species, O. erraticus and O. verrucosus, for African swine fever virus strains circulating in Eurasia

摘要: African swine fever (ASF) is a lethal hemorrhagic disease in domestic pigs and wild suids caused by virus (ASFV), which threatens the industry globally. In its native enzootic foci, ASFV naturally circulating between soft ticks of genus Ornithodoros, especially O. moubata group, reservoir suids, such as warthogs (Phacochoerus spp.) that are bitten infected inhabiting their burrows. While ability some Afrotropical to transmit maintain well established, vector status Palearctic tick species for strains currently Eurasia remains largely unknown. For example, Iberian erraticus known ASFV, but different has not been assessed since ASF re-emerged Europe 2007. Little about competence other species, verrucosus, occurs southern parts Eastern Europe, including Ukraine Russia, Caucasus. Therefore, we conducted transmission trials with two moubata. We tested virulent strains, one direct origin (Liv13/33), three from had involved previous (OurT88/1), current epizooties (Georgia2007/1 Ukr12/Zapo). Our experimental results showed was able Eurasian whereas verrucosus failed strains. However, naive clinical signs when inoculated homogenates crushed fed on viraemic pigs, proved infectiousness contained ticks. These documented unlikely be capable vectors Eurasia. Additionally, persistence infection several months reaffirms infectious given only part data required assess ASFV.