First complete genomic sequencing of recent canine rabies viruses in Sierra Leone suggests cross-border transmission of Africa 2H subclade

Sheng Sun; Abdul Gudush Jalloh; Jinxia Zhang; Shuo Yu; Xiankai Liu; Weidi Xu; Yan Liu; Changchun Tu; Ye Feng

doi:10.1016/j.virs.2026.06.010

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Volume 41 Issue 3

June 2026

Citation: Sheng Sun, Abdul Gudush Jalloh, Jinxia Zhang, Shuo Yu, Xiankai Liu, Weidi Xu, Yan Liu, Changchun Tu, Ye Feng. First complete genomic sequencing of recent canine rabies viruses in Sierra Leone suggests cross-border transmission of Africa 2H subclade .VIROLOGICA SINICA, 2026, 41(3) : 728-731. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virs.2026.06.010

First complete genomic sequencing of recent canine rabies viruses in Sierra Leone suggests cross-border transmission of Africa 2H subclade

Sheng Sun ^a ,
Abdul Gudush Jalloh ^b ,
Jinxia Zhang ^a ,
Shuo Yu ^c ,
Xiankai Liu ^c ,
Weidi Xu ^a ,
Yan Liu ^a ,
Changchun Tu ^{a,e
,,} ,
Ye Feng ^{a,d
,,}

a. Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonoses Prevention and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun 130122, China;
b. Sierra Leone Animal Welfare Society, Freetown 999127, Sierra Leone;
c. Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 100054, China;
d. State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China;
e. Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China

Corresponding author: Changchun Tu, changchun_tu@outlook.com
Ye Feng, fengye621@126.com
Received Date: 05 June 2025
Accepted Date: 15 June 2026
Available online: 17 June 2026

Abstract

Highlights
1 First set of three complete genomic sequences of RABV strains was obtained from Sierra Leone.
2 Phylogenetic analysis identified the endemic Africa 2H subclade with high homology to those from neighboring countries.
3 Low dog vaccination coverage underscores urgent need for coordinated vaccination and surveillance.

References
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2. Fooks, A.R. and Jackson, A.C. eds., 2020. Rabies: Scientific Basis of the Disease and its Management, fourth ed. Academic Press, United Kingdom.
3. Jiang, J., Hao, Y., He, B., Su, L., Li, X., Liu, X., Chen, C., Chen, L., Zhao, Z., Mi, S., Deng, X., Gong, W., Tu, C.,2022. Severe acute hepatitis outbreaks associated with a novel hepacivirus in Rhizomys pruinosus in Hainan, China. J. Virol. 96 (17), e00782-22.
4. Lechenne, M., Naissengar, K., Lepelletier, A., Alfaroukh, IO., Bourhy, H., Zinsstag, J., Dacheux, L., 2016. Validation of a rapid rabies diagnostic tool for field surveillance in developing countries. PLoS Neglected Trop. Dis. 10 (10), e0005010.
5. Mbilo, C., Coetzer, A., Bonfoh, B., Angot, A., Bebay, C., Cassama, B., De Benedictis, P., Ebou, M.H., Gnanvi, C., Kallo, V. and Lokossou, R.H., 2021. Dog rabies control in West and Central Africa: a review. Acta Trop. 224, 105459.
6. Mshelbwala, P.P., Wangdi, K., Bunting-Graden, J.A., Bamayange, S., Adamu, A.M., Gupta, S.D., Suluku, R., Adamu, C.S., Weese, J.S., Rupprecht, C.E. and Clark, N.J., 2024. Insights into canine rabies vaccination disparities in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional household study. PLoS Neglected Trop. Dis. 18, e0012332.
7. Suluku, R., Bakarr, I.A., Johnny, J., Ellis, F.J.,2012. Post-war demographic and ecological survey of dog populations and their human relationships in Sierra Leone.(A case study of urban freetown). Sci. J. Agricult. Res. Manag. 282, 1-7.
8. Talbi, C., Holmes, E.C., De Benedictis, P., Faye, O., Nakoune, E., Gamatie, D., Diarra, A., Elmamy, B.O., Sow, A., Adjogoua, E.V. and Sangare, O., 2009. Evolutionary history and dynamics of dog rabies virus in Western and Central Africa. J. Gen. Virol. 90, 783-791.
9. Troupin, C., Dacheux, L., Tanguy, M., Sabeta, C., Blanc, H., Bouchier, C., Vignuzzi, M., Duchene, S., Holmes, E.C. and Bourhy, H., 2016. Large-scale phylogenomic analysis reveals the complex evolutionary history of rabies virus in multiple carnivore hosts. PLoS Pathog. 12, e1006041.
10. Voupawoe, G., Varkpeh, R., Kamara, V., Sieh, S., Traore, A., De Battisti, C., Angot, A., de J Loureiro, L.F.L., Soumare, B., Dauphin, G. and Abebe, W., 2021. Rabies control in Liberia: joint efforts towards zero by 30. Acta Trop. 216, 105787.
11. WOAH, 2024. Rabies (infection with rabies virus and other lyssaviruses), Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals, thirteenth ed. 2024. Available online: https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/terrestrial-manual-online-access/(accessed November 29, 2024).
12. Zhang, L., Cruz, J., Tian, Y., Wang, Y., Jiang, J., Gonzales, R.M., Azul, R.R., Pena, R.C.D., Sun, S., Liu, Y. and Jiang, T., 2025. Phylogeography analysis reveals rabies epidemiology, evolution, and transmission in the Philippines. Mol. Biol. Evol. 42, msaf007.
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First complete genomic sequencing of recent canine rabies viruses in Sierra Leone suggests cross-border transmission of Africa 2H subclade

Corresponding author: Changchun Tu, changchun_tu@outlook.com

Corresponding author: Ye Feng, fengye621@126.com

a. Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonoses Prevention and Control, State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun 130122, China;
b. Sierra Leone Animal Welfare Society, Freetown 999127, Sierra Leone;
c. Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 100054, China;
d. State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China;
e. Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Disease and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China

Received Date: 05 June 2025
Accepted Date: 15 June 2026

Abstract: Highlights
1 First set of three complete genomic sequences of RABV strains was obtained from Sierra Leone.
2 Phylogenetic analysis identified the endemic Africa 2H subclade with high homology to those from neighboring countries.
3 Low dog vaccination coverage underscores urgent need for coordinated vaccination and surveillance.