title: Epidemiology and molecular diversity of rabies viruses in Bulgaria.
abstract: A health emergency situation occurred in Bulgaria in 2007 when positive rabies cases were notified in Sofia district in the central-western part of the country, suggesting a southward spread of the disease for the first time in the last 10 years. Phylogenetic analysis on 49 isolates sampled between 2009 and 2011 showed, for the first time, evidence of the existence of NEE and D clustered lineages in Bulgaria. Their geographical distribution clearly reveals the permeability of natural barriers, as already suggested by the disease spread that occurred across the Balkan mountain range in 2007. The monitoring and passive surveillance programmes conducted since the first 2009 oral vaccination campaign, the spatio-temporal evolution of the disease in the country since 2007, and the need for further investigation of the role of jackals in virus dispersion are discussed.
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Nancy; Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Management in Zoonoses Control, OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, European Union Reference Laboratory for Rabies, European Union Reference Institute for Rabies Serology, Technopôle Agricole et Vétérinaire, Malzéville, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robardet
authors.affiliation: National Diagnostic Research Veterinary Medical Institute, National Reference Laboratory of Rabies and monitoring the effectiveness of the vaccination, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ilieva
authors.affiliation: Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iliev
authors.affiliation: Regional Food Safety Directorate, Kyustendil, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gagnev
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Nancy; Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Management in Zoonoses Control, OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, European Union Reference Laboratory for Rabies, European Union Reference Institute for Rabies Serology, Technopôle Agricole et Vétérinaire, Malzéville, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Picard-Meyer
authors.affiliation: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), Nancy; Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Management in Zoonoses Control, OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, European Union Reference Laboratory for Rabies, European Union Reference Institute for Rabies Serology, Technopôle Agricole et Vétérinaire, Malzéville, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cliquet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000821:virology; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D046028:Canidae; D002415:Cats; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D011818:Rabies / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012418:Ruminants; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D011819:Rabies Vaccines