Molecular characterization of rabies virus isolated from non-haematophagous bats in Brazil.
BACKGROUND
Rabies is an important zoonosis that causes thousands of deaths worldwide each year. Although the terrestrial cycle, mainly transmitted by dogs, is controlled in Brazil, the aerial cycle remains a serious public health issue, besides the economic problem. In the aerial cycle, the haematophagous bat Desmodus rotundus is the main source of infection, where several different species of non-haematophagous bats can be infected and can transmit the virus.


METHODS
The aim of this work was to study the epidemiological pattern of rabies using antigenic characterization with monoclonal antibodies and genetic characterization by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of non-haematophagous bats' and herbivorous animals' central nervous system samples from the western region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.


RESULTS
From 27 samples, 3 antigenic variants were identified: AgV-3, AgV-4, and AgV-6; and from 29 samples, 5 different clusters were identified, all belonging to the rabies virus species.


CONCLUSIONS
Although only non-haematophagous bats were evaluated in the studied region, the majority of samples were from antigenic and genetic variants related to haematophagous bats Desmodus rotundus. Samples from the same antigenic variant were segregated in more than one genetic cluster. This study demonstrated the diversity of rabies virus genetic lineages presented and circulating in non-haematophagous bats in the studied region.
Pólo da Alta Sorocabana, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia de Agronegócios Presidente Prudente, SP, Brasil.
Avelino
A
Albas
Angélica Cristine de Almeida
AC
Campos
Danielle Bastos
DB
Araujo
Camila Seabra
CS
Rodrigues
Miriam Martos
MM
Sodré
Edison Luiz
EL
Durigon
Silvana Regina
SR
Favoretto
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000097:blood*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil; D002417:Cattle; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000145:classification / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral