[A case of bat rabies in a cat in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina].
In the Central Laboratory of Public Health in Buenos Aires, rabies was detected in a cat that was brought in for diagnosis by its owners. The animal, which was displaying symptoms of the furious form of the disease, had attacked three people in the rural area of Chascomús, near the Rio de la Plata. All three of the people who had been bitten received the necessary treatment. The diagnosis was made using the fluorescent antibody test and the inoculation of mice and the results were communicated to the Zoonoses Division of the Ministry of Health. The virus was then typed at the Institute Pasteur of Buenos Aires using monoclonal antibodies, where it was found to be antigenic variant 4 of serotype 1, i.e., the type of virus usually found in insectivorous bats. This area has been free of the canine variant since 1984. This is the first known case in the province of Buenos Aires of a cat becoming infected with this type of virus. It confirms that there is a link between the air and terrestrial cycles of rabies in this area.
Amasino
C F
CF
Laboratorio Central de Salud Pública de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, 526 e/ 10 y 11, (1900) La Plata, Argentina.
Gury Dohmen
F
F
de Gaetano
J
J
Mena Segura
C
C
Palazzolo
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001118:Argentina; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D002415:Cats; D002685:Chiroptera; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct / Q000662:veterinary; D051379:Mice; D011818:Rabies / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012424:Rural Population; D012703:Serotyping / Q000662:veterinary
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral