Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T22:28:38.631Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Serological evidence for the susceptibility of the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius Linnaeus) to natural infection with rinderpest virus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

W. Plowrigh ,
R. M. Laws  and
C. S. Rampton
W. Plowrigh
Affiliation:
East African Veterinary Research Organization, P.O. Box 32, Kikuyu, Kenya
R. M. Laws
Affiliation:
East African Veterinary Research Organization, P.O. Box 32, Kikuyu, Kenya
C. S. Rampton
Affiliation:
East African Veterinary Research Organization, P.O. Box 32, Kikuyu, Kenya
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A survey of rinderpest-neutralizing antibody was carried out on the sera of 315 hippopotamuses which were shot in the Queen Elizabeth Park, Uganda. No serological positives were found in animals aged 11 years or less but about 4% were detected in the age class 13–25 years. In the 28–41 years age class the proportion of positives rose to about 36%. All except one of the positive sera were titrated, the figures obtained being comparable to those in other recently infected species of wild ungulates.

It was concluded that the heat-stable antibody in hippopotamuses resulted from inapparent infections with rinderpest virus during epizootics which passed through the areas of Lake George and Lake Albert in the years 1920/21, 1931/33 and 1944/45. No record was available of clinically recognizable rinderpest in the hippopotamus population but deaths due to other causes were mentioned briefly.

Comment was made on the stability of rinderpest-neutralizing antibody over periods of about 30 years.

One of us (R. M. L) is grateful to the Nuffield Foundation for financial support. Thanks are due to Drs S. S. Stone and W. P. Heuschele (Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture) for their assistance in organizing the collection of serum samples.

This paper is published by permission of Mr H. R. Binns, C.M.G., O.B.E., Director, E.A.V.R.O.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 62 , Issue 3 , September 1964 , pp. 329 - 336
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1964

References

REFERENCES

Black, F. L. (1959). Measles antibodies in the population of New Haven, Connecticut. J. Immunol. 83, 74–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Black, F. L. & Rosen, L. (1962). Patterns of measles antibodies in residents of Tahiti and their stability in the absence of re-exposure. J. Immunol. 88, 725–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bourlière, Z. F. & Verschuren, J. (1960). Introduction à l'écologie des ongulés du Parc National Albert. Explor. Parc natn. Albert, Miss. F. Bourlière J. Verschuren.Google Scholar
Brown, R. D. & Raschid, A. (1957). Annu. Rep. E. Afr. vet. Res. Org. 1956/57; Govt. Printer, Nairobi.Google Scholar
Burton, M. (1962). Systematic Dictionary of Mammals of the World. London: Museum Press Ltd.Google Scholar
Cronly, H. (1949, 1952). Rep. vet. Dep. Uganda, 1948 and 1951.Google Scholar
Curasson, G. (1932). La Pests Bovine. Paris: Vigot Frères.Google Scholar
Guyaux, R. (1951). Gibier peste bovine, cas de transmission de la peste bovine du buffle au bétail bovin. Bull. agric. Congo belge, 42, 123–9.Google Scholar
Hubert, E. (1947). La fauno des grands mammifères de la plaine Rwindi-Rutshuru. Explor. Parc natn. Albert.Google Scholar
Imagawa, D. T., Goret, P. & Adams, J. M. (1960). Immunological relationships of measles, distemper and rinderpest viruses. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci., Wash., 46, 1119–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Longhurst, W. H. (1958). Progress report no. 3. Wildlife in Uganda. Ms. pp. 42.Google Scholar
Mackintosh, W. L. S. (1945). Rep. vet. Dep., Uganda, 1944.Google Scholar
Pitman, C. R. S. (1942). A Game Warden Takes Stock. London: James Nisbet and Co. Ltd.Google Scholar
Plowright, W. (1962). The application of monolayer tissue culture techniques in rinderpest research. I. Introduction, use in serological investigations and diagnosis. Bull. Off. Int. Epiz. 57, 1–23.Google Scholar
Plowright, W. (1963). Rinderpest virus. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 101, 549–563.Google Scholar
Plowright, W. & Ferris, R. D. (1961). Studies with rinderpest in tissue culture. III. The stability of culture virus and its use in virus neutralisation tests. Arch. ges. Virusforsch. 11, 516–533.Google Scholar
Poulton, W. F. (1932–1935 incl.). Rep. vet. Dep., Uganda (1931–34 Incl.)Google Scholar
Randall, J. B. (1951). Rep. vet. Dep., Uganda, 1950.Google Scholar
Randall, J. B. (1956–1958 Incl.). Annu. Rep. Dept. vet. Serv. anim. Husb., Uganda Protectorate (1955–57 incl.), Govt. Printer, Entebbe.Google Scholar
Simmons, R. (1943–1944 Incl.). Rep. vet. Dep., Uganda (1942–43 incl.).Google Scholar
Thompson, W. R. (1947). Use of moving averages and interpolation to estimate median effective dose. I. Fundamental formulas, estimation of error and relation to other methods. Bact. Rev. 11, 115–145.Google Scholar
Warren, J. (1960). The relationships of the viruses of measles, canine distemper and rinderpest. Advanc. Virus Res. 7, 27–60.Google Scholar