One Virology

Rift Valley fever virus

What is Rift Valley fever virus?

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a mosquito-borne zoonotic virus, is one of the pathogens named in the World Health Organization’s list of priority diseases.

The virus causes large economic losses in eastern and southern Africa through its impact on livestock and human health and consequences for export of live animals to countries outside of Africa. Infection in sheep and cattle is characterized by an increased incidence of abortion or fetal malformations. In severe human cases, the virus can cause encephalitis or haemorrhagic fever.

Vaccines are used in livestock in Africa, but there are risks associated with these and, to date, no vaccine is licensed for human administration. There are fears that the virus could spread to other regions; outbreaks of RVFV have occurred in the Middle East, northern Egypt and the Comoros Archipelago. Rapid and specific diagnostic tests are needed to provide early warning of potential human outbreaks.

Our research and its impact

We recently completed a project funded by Innovate UK in collaboration with ADAS and Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization to apply next-generation phage display technology to identify peptide epitopes on the virus that could be used in rapid and specific diagnostic tests.

 
Our experts

Our experts

Discover our researchers and their areas of specialism

 

One Virology


University of Nottingham