Multiple lesions by vampire bat bites in a patient in Niterói, Brazil - case report.
Over the last few centuries, the expansion of urbanization brought bats closer to urbanized areas, increasing the risk of accidents by bat bites. The morphology of bat bites can be varied, usually having an elliptical shape, about 0.5 cm along its greatest length, and the characteristic corkscrew bite pattern. The authors present the case of a patient who was repeatedly bitten by vampire bats for two months. A polymerase chain reaction was performed in the cutaneous nerves at the base of the hair follicles which showed negativity towards the rabies virus. The authors highlight the public health importance of this case, and discuss the morphological characteristics of these hematophagous bat bites.
Instituto de Dermatologia Professor Rubem David Azulay, Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Fred
F
Bernardes Filho
Private Clinic - Ituiutaba (MG), Brazil, Ituiutaba, MG, Brazil.
Gustavo
G
Martins
Instituto Philippe Pinel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Gustavo Sabaini
GS
Luchi
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Bernard Kawa
BK
Kac
Instituto de Dermatologia Professor Rubem David Azulay, Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
José Augusto da Costa
JA
Nery
Instituto de Dermatologia Professor Rubem David Azulay, Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Luna
L
Azulay-Abulafia
Instituto de Dermatologia Professor Rubem David Azulay, Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
David Rubem
DR
Azulay
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000473:pathology*; D001938:Brazil; D002685:Chiroptera; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011820:Rabies virus; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000473:pathology