Title
Enzootic and epizootic rabies associated with vampire bats, Peru
Date Issued
01 January 2013
Access level
open access
Resource Type
Journal
Author(s)
Condori-Condori R.E.
Streicker D.G.
Velasco-Villa A.
Abstract
During the past decade, incidence of human infection with rabies virus (RABV) spread by the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) increased considerably in South America, especially in remote areas of the Amazon rainforest, where these bats commonly feed on humans. To better understand the epizootiology of rabies associated with vampire bats, we used complete sequences of the nucleoprotein gene to infer phylogenetic relationships among 157 RABV isolates collected from humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, including bats, in Peru during 2002-2007. This analysis revealed distinct geographic structuring that indicates that RABVs spread gradually and involve different vampire bat subpopulations with different transmission cycles. Three putative new RABV lineages were found in 3 non-vampire bat species that may represent new virus reservoirs. Detection of novel RABV variants and accurate identification of reservoir hosts are critically important for the prevention and control of potential virus transmission, especially to humans.
Start page
1463
End page
1469
Volume
19
Issue
9
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85047285399
PubMed ID
Source
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Resource of which it is part
Emerging Infectious Diseases
ISSN of the container
10806040
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus