The 2022 outbreaks of African swine fever virus demonstrate the first report of genotype II in Ghana

Authors: Spinard Iii, Edward; RAI, AYUSHI - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); OSEI-BONSU, JEHADI - Accra Veterinary Laboratory; O'DONNELL, VIVIAN - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); ABABIO, PATRICK - Accra Veterinary Laboratory; TAWUAH-YINGAR, DANIEL - Accra Veterinary Laboratory; BAAH, DANIEL - Accra Veterinary Laboratory; Ramirez-Medina, Elizabeth; Espinoza, Nallely; VALLADARES, ALYSSA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); FABURAY, BONTO - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); AMBAGALA, ARUNA - Canadian Food Inspection Agency; ODOOM, THEOPHLIUS - Accra Veterinary Laboratory; Borca, Manuel; Gladue, Douglas

Submitted to: Viruses
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/5/2023
Publication Date: 8/11/2023
Citation: Spinard III, E.J., Rai, A., Osei-Bonsu, J., O'Donnell, V., Ababio, P., Tawuah-Yingar, D., Baah, D., Ramirez Medina, E., Espinoza, N.N., Valladares, A., Faburay, B., Ambagala, A., Odoom, T., Borca, M.V., Gladue, D.P. 2023. The 2022 outbreaks of African swine fever virus demonstrate the first report of genotype II in Ghana. Viruses. 15(8). Article 1722. https://doi.org/10.3390/v15081722.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v15081722

Interpretive Summary: African Swine Fever (ASF) is a lethal disease of domestic pigs that has been causing outbreaks and causing the current pandemic that originated from a 2007 outbreak in the Republic of Georgia. Derivatives with a high degree of similarity to the progenitor strain, ASFV-Georgia/2007, have been sequenced from various countries in Europe and Asia. However, the current strains circulating in Africa are largely unknown and 24 different genotypes have been implicated in different outbreaks. In this study, ASF isolates were collected and fully sequenced from farms in Ghana that observed swine showing symptoms of ASF in early 2022. While previous studies determined that the circulating strains in Ghana were p72 Genotype I, we demonstrated here that the strains circulating in 2022 are derivatives of the p72 Genotype II pandemic strain. Therefore, this study demonstrates for the first time the emergence of Genotype II ASFV in Ghana.

Technical Abstract: African Swine Fever (ASF) is a lethal disease of domestic pigs that has been causing outbreaks for over a century in Africa since its first discovery in 1921. Since 1957 there have been sporadic out-breaks outside of Africa, however, no outbreak has been as devastating and as far-reaching as the current pandemic that originated from a 2007 outbreak in the Republic of Georgia. Derivatives with a high degree of similarity to the progenitor strain, ASFV-Georgia/2007, have been sequenced from various countries in Europe and Asia. However, the current strains circulating in Africa are largely unknown and 24 different genotypes have been implicated in different outbreaks. In this study, ASF isolates were collected and fully sequenced from farms in Ghana that observed swine showing symptoms of ASF in early 2022. While previous studies determined that the circulating strains in Ghana were p72 Genotype I, we demonstrated here that the strains circulating in 2022 are derivatives of the p72 Genotype II pandemic strain. Therefore, this study demonstrates for the first time the emergence of Genotype II ASFV in Ghana.