Rabies virus monitoring in bat populations in Rondônia state, Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Marilene Fernandes de Almeida, Adriana Ruckert da Rosa, Luzia Fátima Alves Martorelli, Ana Paula Arruda Geraldes Kataoka, Caroline Cotrim Aires
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Subjects: Rabies; Rabies antibodies; Chiroptera; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0199-2018; https://doaj.org/article/bf92f2a832af4dbc887c952365796159

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The Jirau hydroelectric power plant built in Rondônia state has environmental impacts that could be relevant to rabies outbreaks. METHODS: Bat populations were monitored for rabies by fluorescent antibody testing and simplified fluorescent inhibition microtesting between 2010 and 2015. RESULTS: All 1,183 bats tested negative for rabies. The prevalence of rabies antibodies was 17.5% in 1,049 bats. CONCLUSIONS: The rabies antibody dosage was not reactive in samples collected before the environmental changes, and there was a progressive increase in subsequent collections that could indicate an increase in rabies virus circulation among bats and risk of a rabies outbreak.