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Rift Valley Fever Virus: New Insights into a One Health...
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Rift Valley Fever Virus: New Insights into a One Health Archetype

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 16 August 2026 | Viewed by 4561

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rebekah C. Kading

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Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Interests: emerging infectious diseases; bats; mosquitoes; vector biology; arbovirology; medical entomology; disease ecology; One Health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Juliette Lewis

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Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Interests: virus-host interactions; immunology; vector biology; virology; bats; mosquitoes
Dr. Brian H. Bird

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Interests: epidemiology; diagnostics; vaccinology; virology; wildlife medicine; One Health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rift Valley fever virus is an emerging zoonotic arbovirus that has severe health consequences for people and livestock. Historically, RVFV transmission has been restricted to the African continent; however, significant outbreaks have spread to the Arabian Peninsula, presenting a changing context of viral ecology and imminent threat of invasion to new geographic areas. Significant gaps in research pertain to viral ecology and epidemiology, host–pathogen interactions, vaccine and countermeasures development, diagnostics, virology, and vector biology and control. Global shifts in climate and weather patterns will likely potentiate the devastating consequences on humans and animals across affected regions. A transdisciplinary One Health research approach is particularly impactful in this disease system.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute original research or review articles to this Special Issue. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) field studies on viral ecology and epidemiology, veterinary aspects, molecular virology, vaccine development or clinical trials, vector factors, or detection and response approaches. Articles focused on One Health aspects of RVF are especially encouraged. We look forward to receiving your contributions by 31 January 2026

Dr. Rebekah C. Kading
Dr. Juliette Lewis
Dr. Brian H. Bird
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • One Health
  • emerging infectious diseases
  • mosquito
  • bunyavirus
  • arbovirus
  • medical entomology
  • medical countermeasures
  • livestock

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1244 KB  
Article
A Newly Established ELISA for the Surveillance of Rift Valley Fever in Dromedary Camels and Their Owners, Kenya 2018
by Shannon L. M. Whitmer, Jessica Rowland, Emir Talundzic, Deborah Cannon, Aridth Gibbons, Cynthia Ombok, Jennifer L. Harcourt, Natalie J. Thornburg, Clayton Onyango, Peninah Munyua, Elizabeth Hunsperger, Isaac Ngere, M. Kariuki Njenga, Caroline Ochieng, Mathew Muturi, Joel M. Montgomery, Marc-Alain Widdowson and John D. Klena
Viruses 2026, 18(4), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18040445 - 8 Apr 2026
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Abstract
In 2024 Kenya had a population of 4.78 million camels that contributed to the livelihoods of pastoralist communities in northern Kenya. Previous studies in Kenya, Saudi Arabia and eastern Africa demonstrated high seroprevalence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)-specific antibodies in dromedary [...] Read more.
In 2024 Kenya had a population of 4.78 million camels that contributed to the livelihoods of pastoralist communities in northern Kenya. Previous studies in Kenya, Saudi Arabia and eastern Africa demonstrated high seroprevalence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)-specific antibodies in dromedary camels, as well as sporadic transmission of MERS-CoV from camels to humans. Based on the MERS-CoV data and the very close contact between owners and their camels in northern Kenya, we speculated that camels may also transmit other zoonotic viruses, such as Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). In this study, 493 camel and 197 human sera were collected in Marsabit, Kenya, through a cross-sectional survey in 2018 and analyzed for the presence of RVFV IgG antibodies using a laboratory-developed indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Overall, 15.6% of camels and 7.6% of humans were RVFV IgG-positive; IgG-positive camels were predominantly females in large population herds and IgG-positive humans were engaged in farming-related activities and were greater than 18 years old. Of the eight location groups sampled, two had high camel (site 2 and site 6) and two had high human (site 5 and site 6) RVFV seropositivity rates. These data suggest that camelids, such as dromedary camels, may serve as amplifying hosts for vector-borne zoonotic diseases, such as RVFV, and that humans with frequent farming and camel meat, milk, or camel product contact may have increased risk for RVFV exposure or infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rift Valley Fever Virus: New Insights into a One Health Archetype)
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22 pages, 1471 KB  
Article
Rift Valley Fever Virus Transmission During an Unreported Outbreak Among People and Livestock in South-Central Tanzania
by Robert D. Sumaye, Ana Pérola D. Brandão, Frank Chilanga, Goodluk Paul, Grace W. Mwangoka, Woutrina A. Smith, Abel B. Ekiri, Christopher Kilonzo, Solomon Mwakasungula, George Makingi, Amina A. Kinyogori, Walter S. Magesa, Aziza J. Samson, Catherine Mkindi, Peter Pazia, Feisal Hassan, Thabit A. Mbaga, Robinson H. Mdegela, Honorati Masanja, Deborah Cannon, Aridith Gibbons, John D. Klena, Joel M. Montgomery, Stuart T. Nichol, Lucija Jurisic, Alexandre Tremeau-Bravard, Hezron Nonga, Jamie Sebastian, Saba Zewdie, Leah Streb, Anna C. Fagre, Nicholas A. Bergren, Daniel A. Hartman, David J. Wolking, Rebekah C. Kading, Jonna A. K. Mazet and Brian H. Birdadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Viruses 2025, 17(10), 1329; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17101329 - 30 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3185
Abstract
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a re-emerging vector-borne zoonotic disease that causes outbreaks in humans and animals across Africa. To better understand RVF at human–animal interfaces, a prospective longitudinal survey of people, livestock, and mosquitoes was conducted from 2016 to 2018, in two [...] Read more.
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a re-emerging vector-borne zoonotic disease that causes outbreaks in humans and animals across Africa. To better understand RVF at human–animal interfaces, a prospective longitudinal survey of people, livestock, and mosquitoes was conducted from 2016 to 2018, in two regions of Tanzania, with distinct climatic zones (Iringa and Morogoro). Molecular and serological tools for testing (RT-qPCR and IgM/IgG ELISA) for RVF virus (RVFV) were used to assess infection and exposure in people and animals. Mosquitoes were collected quarterly from 10 sentinel locations. In total, 1385 acutely febrile humans, 4449 livestock, and 3463 mosquito pools were tested. In humans, IgM seroprevalence was 3.75% (n = 52/1385), and overall seroprevalence (IgM and/or IgG positive) was 8.30% (n = 115/1385). People from Iringa had a higher exposure risk than those from Morogoro (aOR 2.63), and livestock owners had an increased risk compared to non-owners (aOR 2.51). In livestock, IgM seroprevalence was 1.09%, while overall seroprevalence was 10.11%. A total of 68.4% of herds had at least one seropositive animal. Sentinel animal follow-up revealed that the probability of seroconversion was significantly higher in Morogoro. Low-level RVFV RNA was detected in 8 human and 22 mosquito pools. These findings indicate active transmission among vectors, livestock, and people during the study period, highlighting the need for One Health surveillance approaches for RVFV and other arboviruses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rift Valley Fever Virus: New Insights into a One Health Archetype)
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Other

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10 pages, 1510 KB  
Brief Report
A Species-Independent Lateral Flow Test to Detect Rift Valley Fever Virus Antibodies Using a Double Antigen Approach
by Paul J. Wichgers Schreur, Heleen de Vogel-van den Bosch, Ruben Massop, José Harders-Westerveen, Sandra van de Water, Barry Rockx and Aart van Amerongen
Viruses 2026, 18(3), 316; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18030316 - 3 Mar 2026
Viewed by 648
Abstract
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a re-emerging, vector-borne pathogen endemic to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, posing an increasing threat to human and animal health. Outbreaks have severe economic and social impacts on farmers, communities, and governments. Current diagnostic methods rely on [...] Read more.
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a re-emerging, vector-borne pathogen endemic to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, posing an increasing threat to human and animal health. Outbreaks have severe economic and social impacts on farmers, communities, and governments. Current diagnostic methods rely on PCR and ELISA; however, rapid pen-side tests would enable faster, cost-effective monitoring and outbreak control. Here, a species- and immunoglobulin class-independent capillary flow immunodiagnostic assay (lateral flow test; LFT) for detecting RVFV-specific antibodies is described. The assay uses a double-antigen approach, coupling the RVFV nucleocapsid protein, a major viral antigen, both to carbon nanoparticles and to a nitrocellulose membrane. The method was qualified with immune sera from sheep, calves, goats, and humans and benchmarked against a newly developed double-antigen ELISA and a commercial competition ELISA. Both the LFT and double-antigen ELISA demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity. This advancement brings RVFV-specific pen-side testing significantly closer to practical implementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rift Valley Fever Virus: New Insights into a One Health Archetype)
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