title: Circulation of the rabies virus in non-hematophagous bats in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during 2001-2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rabies is one of the most known lethal zoonosis, responsible for 55,000 human deaths per year. It is transmitted to humans mainly by the bite of domestic or wild animals infected with the virus. This paper shows the circulation of this virus in non-hematophagous bats in the City of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was performed on the number of bats that had been sent for diagnosis by the Seção de Virologia of the Instituto Municipal de Medicina Veterinária Jorge Vaitsman and were positive for rabies. The positive animals were identified, and the isolated viruses were sent for antigenic typification with indirect immunofluorescence. The results were compared with the antigenic panel of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 2001-2010, the laboratory received 555 non-hematophagous bats for rabies diagnosis, with 198 (35.7%) from Rio de Janeiro City. A total of 11 (5.5%) animals were positive for this disease. Antigenic typification revealed the predominance of variant 3 in 9 (81.8%) of the isolated viruses; 1 virus was classified as variant 4 and 1 variant was identified that segregated with the viruses in insectivorous bats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data obtained in this study showed the presence of the rabies virus in synanthropic populations of non-hematophagous bats in the City of Rio de Janeiro. The circulation of this agent in these animals represents a serious risk to human and animal health and requires attention and control measures by the authorities.
authors.affiliation: Seção de Virologia, Instituto Municipal de Medicina Veterinária Jorge Vaitsman, Rio de Janeiro, RJ. ccabral@id.uff.br
authors.forename: Claudius Couto
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Nunes de
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.forename: Alba Valéria de Almeida Barcelos
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Marcela Garcia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Wildeberg Cal
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Gláucio Luis Mata
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Mattos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000145:classification / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D008297:Male; D011818:Rabies / Q000821:virology*; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*