Publications

flexible use of urban resources by the yellow mongoose cynictis penicillata.	several species are negatively impacted by urbanization, while others thrive in urban areas by exploiting anthropogenic habitats matching their pre-existing niche preferences, or by modifying their behavior for urban life. we studied the ecology of a recent urban resident, the yellow mongoose, in an urban ecological estate in south africa. we assessed urban dwelling yellow mongooses' diet, spatial and temporal occurrence, home range size, and whenever possible, compared our findings to the publi ...	2019	31315216
rabies of canid biotype in wild dog (lycaon pictus) and spotted hyaena (crocuta crocuta) in madikwe game reserve, south africa in 2014-2015: diagnosis, possible origins and implications for control.	both domestic and wild carnivore species are commonly diagnosed with rabies virus (rabv) infection in south africa. although the majority of confirmed rabies cases in wild carnivore species are reported from the yellow mongoose (cynictis penicillata), the rest are from other wild carnivores including the highly endangered wild dog (lycaon pictus). lyssavirus infection was confirmed in two wild dogs and a spotted hyaena (crocuta crocuta) in the madikwe game reserve, north west province in south a ...	2018	29781673
comparison of g protein sequences of south african street rabies viruses showing distinct progression of the disease in a mouse model of experimental rabies.	rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease and infections generally lead to a fatal encephalomyelitis in both humans and animals. in south africa, domestic (dogs) and the wildlife (yellow mongoose) host species maintain the canid and mongoose rabies variants respectively. in this study, pathogenicity differences of south african canid and mongoose rabies viruses were investigated in a murine model, by assessing the progression of clinical signs and survivorship. comparison of glycoprotein gene sequences ...	2017	28627433
competition and coexistence in a small carnivore guild.	the potential for strong competition among small sympatric carnivores results in a need for coexistence strategies whereby competitors partition along spatial, temporal and dietary axes as a means to reduce ecological overlaps. we determined spatial and temporal partitioning patterns of a guild of small african carnivores: the african wildcat felis silvestris lybica, grey mongoose galerella pulverulenta, small-spotted genet genetta genetta, striped polecat ictonyx striatus, and the yellow mongoo ...	2017	28733835
characterization of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus cc398 and mecc-positive cc130 from zoo animals in the united kingdom.	little is known about the characteristics and diseases associated with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) in nondomestic animals. four presumptive mrsa isolates, obtained from clinical (n = 3) and surveillance specimens (n = 1) from dwarf (helogale parvula) and yellow mongooses (cynictis penicillata) from a united kingdom zoo, were analyzed by pcr for detection of meca and mecc-mediated methicillin resistance, and virulence genes. isolates were genotyped by multilocus sequence ty ...	2017	28783429
rabid epidemiologies: the emergence and resurgence of rabies in twentieth century south africa.	this article discusses the history of rabies in south africa since the early twentieth century. it argues that rabies is a zoonotic disease that traverses rural and urban spaces, that transfers itself between wild and domestic animals and remains a potential threat to human life in the region. scientists discovered an indigenous form of rabies, found primarily in the yellow mongoose, after the first biomedically confirmed human fatalities in 1928. since the 1950s canine rabies, presumed to have ...	2011	20665088
the spread of canine rabies into free state province of south africa: a molecular epidemiological characterization.	the free state (fs) province of the republic of south africa is associated with endemic rabies in the yellow mongoose, cynictis penicillata. historically, this mongoose rabies virus biotype occasionally spilled over into domestic dogs, but the canid rabies virus biotype of southern africa did not occur here, until recently. we report on the recent spread of canine rabies by means of a molecular epidemiological study that was performed on a cohort of 69 rabies viruses collected from dogs in fs pr ...	2009	19428751
the vocal repertoire in a solitary foraging carnivore, cynictis penicillata, may reflect facultative sociality.	we describe the vocal repertoire of a facultatively social carnivore, the yellow mongoose, cynictis penicillata. using a combination of close-range observations, recordings and experiments with simulated predators, we were able to obtain clear descriptions of call structure and function for a wide range of calls used by this herpestid. the vocal repertoire of the yellow mongooses comprised ten call types, half of which were used in appeasing or fearful contexts and half in aggressive interaction ...	2009	19247627
parasites of domestic and wild animals in south africa. xxxvi. arthropod parasites of yellow mongooses, cynictis penicillata (g. cuvier, 1829).	eighty yellow mongooses, cynictis penicillata, from five localities in south africa were examined for arthropod parasites. ten ixodid tick species, of which haemaphysalis zumpti was the most abundant, prevalent and widely distributed, were collected. the mongooses were also infested with two mite species. echidnophaga gallinacea was the most abundant of the eight flea species collected. it and ctenocephalides connatus were present at every locality. a single biting louse species, felicola cynict ...	1999	10396760
genetic population structure in the yellow mongoose, cynictis penicillata.	phylogeographic structure was determined for the yellow mongoose, cynictis penicillata, using mtdna rflps and control region sequences. the rflp analysis revealed 13 haplotypes which showed weak geographical patterning consistent with a recent range expansion from a refugial population(s). an analysis of molecular variance (amova) revealed no correspondence between mtdna phylogeography and subspecies delimitation, nor between matrilines and areas characterized by a high incidence of the viverrid ...	1997	9421919
a liquid-phase blocking elisa for the detection of antibodies to rabies virus.	a liquid-phase blocking elisa was adapted to the detection and titration of antibodies to principally the nucleoprotein of rabies virus. sera from animals that had either been vaccinated against rabies or inoculated with street rabies viruses, as well as sera from animals that had no recorded contact with rabies, were tested. these included sera from people, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, laboratory mice, rabbits, yellow mongooses, wild dogs and lions. where possible, the results were compared with ...	1995	7730435
application of immunoperoxidase techniques to formalin-fixed brain tissue for the diagnosis of rabies in southern africa.	two immunoperoxidase techniques, viz. avidin-biotin complex (abc) and peroxidase-anti-peroxidase (pap) procedures, were applied to paraffin-wax-embedded brain-tissue sections, from brains which had been fixed in 10% formalin, to demonstrate the presence of rabies-virus antigen by light microscopy. these techniques positively identified both "viverrid" and "canid" rabies-virus antigen in tissues sections of species commonly infected with rabies virus in southern africa, viz. the domestic dog (can ...	1994	7541123
prevalence of babesia cynicti infection in three populations of yellow mongooses (cynictis penicillata) in the transvaal, south africa.	babesia cynicti originally was described from spleen smears of two yellow mongooses (cynictis penicillata), the main vectors of rabies on the central plateau of south africa. during a detailed study of the epizootiology of rabies in that area between october 1991 and february 1993, sets of blood smears from three yellow mongoose populations were available for examination. babesia cynicti was found in 50 of 56 specimens from rooiwal, north of pretoria, in 13 of 18 specimens from near ermelo in th ...	1994	7760489
a systematic and population genetic approach to the rabies problem in the yellow mongoose (cynictis penicillata).	this paper reviews recent studies on the biology, systematics and population genetics of yellow mongoose populations in terms of possible implications for the epidemiology of rabies. based on parallel studies, the existence of three distinct subspecies of yellow mongoose may have a direct bearing on rabies epidemiology; at least subspecific affiliation should be considered as a factor to be controlled for in rabies studies of the species. a direct correlation was found to exist between populatio ...	1993	7777324
the role of the yellow mongoose (cynictis penicillata) in the epidemiology of rabies in south africa--preliminary results.	ninety-seven yellow mongooses were captured in six different localities in south africa and blood specimens for rabies antibody determination as well as brain and salivary glands for virus isolation were collected. no rabies virus or antibody to it was detected in any of the specimens. parallel to the field study, two experimental infections were undertaken in which yellow mongooses were artificially infected with serial dilutions of two different rabies isolates (one from a dog and the other of ...	1993	7777323
rabies in wild and domestic carnivores of africa: epidemiological and historical associations determined by limited sequence analysis.	virus isolates from three important reservoirs for rabies in africa (domestic dogs, jackals and yellow mongooses) were compared by their reaction with a panel of monoclonal antibodies directed to the nucleocapsid protein and by the nucleotide sequence of a 200 base pair segment of the nucleocapsid gene. although antigenically dissimilar, the variants commonly transmitted in dogs and jackals were very closely related by genetic analysis. phylogenetic analysis and historical accounts support a com ...	1993	7777316
the role played by wildlife in the epizootiology of rabies in south africa and south-west africa.	the role played by wildlife in the perpetuation of rabies is discussed in the light of information obtained during a routine examination of specimens at the veterinary research institute, onderstepoort, during the 10-year period, 1967-1976. in the course of the investigation, 9 additional hosts of rabies were confirmed and 4 rabies areas identified. the chief disseminators in 2 of these areas were found to be the dog (canis familiaris) and the black-backed jackal (c. mesomelas); in the third are ...	1979	551363
the yellow mongoose (cynictis penicillata) as a latent focus of rabies in south africa.	the role of c. penicillata as a latent focus of rabies in south africa is discussed. a description of the colony life, feeding and breeding habits and the relationship of the yellow mongoose to the suricate meerkat and ground squirrel is given. observations on the epidemiology and symptomatology of rabies in the yellow mongoose are reported and various methods of control are suggested.	1976	994142
cordylobia infestation in the yellow mongoose cynictis penicillata (cuvier).		1971	5161410
androlaelaps tillae n.sp. (acarina, laelaptidae), from the cape bristly ground squirrel and yellow mongoose.		1965	5890819