title: RABIES SURVEILLANCE AMONG BATS IN TENNESSEE, USA, 1996-2010.
abstract: Rabies virus (RABV) infects multiple bat species in the Americas, and enzootic foci perpetuate in bats principally via intraspecific transmission. In recent years, bats have been implicated in over 90% of human rabies cases in the US. In Tennessee, two human cases of rabies have occurred since 1960: one case in 1994 associated with a tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) RABV variant and another in 2002 associated with the tricolored/silver-haired bat (P. subflavus/Lasionycteris noctivagans) RABV variant. From 1996 to 2010, 2,039 bats were submitted for rabies testing in Tennessee. Among 1,943 bats in satisfactory condition for testing and with a reported diagnostic result, 96% (1,870 of 1,943) were identified to species and 10% (196 of 1,943) were rabid. Big brown (Eptesicus fuscus), tricolored, and eastern red (Lasiurus borealis) bats comprised 77% of testable bat submissions and 84% of rabid bats. For species with five or more submissions during 1996-2010, the highest proportion of rabid bats occurred in hoary (Lasiurus cinereus; 46%), unspecified Myotis spp. (22%), and eastern red (17%) bats. The best model to predict rabid bats included month of submission, exposure history of submission, species, and sex of bat.
authors.affiliation: 1  Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 1416 Circle Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
authors.forename: Amy T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: 1  Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 1416 Circle Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
authors.forename: Gary F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: McCracken
authors.affiliation: 2  South College, 3904 Lonas Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37909, USA.
authors.forename: Lorinda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Sheeler
authors.affiliation: 3  Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, 274 Ellington Plant Sciences Building, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: 4  Department of Comparative Medicine, East Carolina University, 208 Ed Warren Life Sciences Building, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, USA.
authors.forename: Dorcas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Rourke
authors.affiliation: 5  College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kelch
authors.affiliation: 5  College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: New
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011818:Rabies / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013714:Tennessee / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Bat; exposure; rabies; surveillance