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Novaes RLM, Almeida B, Cláudio VC, Costa-Neto SF, Couto ALG, Schmidt E, Bertocchi NA, Costa JO, Ferreira CF, de Oliveira AMR, Dos Santos MLM, Monteverde TSD, de Abreu EMN, Cunha ENP, Borges AR, Garcia JG, Barboza CM, Cocchi M, Batista HBCR, Moratelli R. Rabies virus circulation in a highly diverse bat assemblage from a high-risk area for zoonoses outbreaks in the Brazilian Amazon. Acta Trop 2024; 257:107309. [PMID: 38955321 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Bats are the second most diverse order of mammals and play a central role in ecosystem dynamics. They are also important reservoirs of potentially zoonotic microorganisms, of which rabies virus is the most lethal among the bat-transmitted zoonotic pathogens. Importantly, recent outbreaks of human rabies have been reported from the Brazilian Amazon. Here we present a survey of bat species and rabies virus (RABV) circulation in a bat assemblage in the Marajó region, northern Brazil. Using data from mist-net captures and bioacoustic sampling, 56 bat species were recorded along the Jacundá River basin over a 10-day expedition in November 2022. For the investigation of RABV, we used the direct fluorescent antibody test (DFAT) and the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT). In total, 159 bat individuals from 22 species were investigated for RABV. Five adults of the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, showed RABV-specific antibodies in serum samples. Additionally, we report on local residents with injuries caused by D. rotundus bites and the occurrence of colonies of non-hematophagous bats from different species roosting inside human residences. This scenario raises concerns about the risks of new cases of human rabies and other zoonotic diseases associated with bats in the region and highlights the need for epidemiological surveillance and mitigation measures to prevent outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brunna Almeida
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Vinícius C Cláudio
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Sócrates F Costa-Neto
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ademar Luiz G Couto
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ellen Schmidt
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Natasha A Bertocchi
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Claudio F Ferreira
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Adi Marcus R de Oliveira
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Mara Lucia M Dos Santos
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Thays Steffanny D Monteverde
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Elke Maria N de Abreu
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, Divisão de Vigilância em Saúde - Nível Central, 66093-677, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Erickson N P Cunha
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, 8º Centro Regional de Saúde, 68800-000, Breves, PA, Brazil
| | - Ailton R Borges
- Secretaria de Saúde Pública do Estado do Pará, 8º Centro Regional de Saúde, 68800-000, Breves, PA, Brazil
| | - Jaíne G Garcia
- Instituto Pasteur de São Paulo, Setor de Virologia, 01311-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Camila M Barboza
- Instituto Pasteur de São Paulo, Setor de Virologia, 01311-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Micheli Cocchi
- Instituto Pasteur de São Paulo, Setor de Virologia, 01311-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo Moratelli
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Mata Atlântica, 22713-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Briceño-Loaiza C, Fernández-Sanhueza B, Benavides-Silva C, Jimenez JY, Rubio AV, Ábalos P, Alegría-Morán RA. Spatial clusters, temporal behavior, and risk factors analysis of rabies in livestock in Ecuador. Prev Vet Med 2024; 226:106188. [PMID: 38513566 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Rabies, a globally distributed and highly lethal zoonotic neglected tropical disease, has a significant impact in South America. In Ecuador, animal rabies cases are primarily linked to livestock, and hematophagous bats play a crucial role in disease transmission. This study aims to identify temporal trends, spatial patterns, and risk factors for animal rabies in Ecuador between 2014 and 2019. Epidemiological survey reports from the official Animal Rabies Surveillance Program of the Phyto and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency of Ecuador (AGROCALIDAD) were used. The Animal Rabies Surveillance Program from AGROCALIDAD consists of an official passive surveillance program that receives reports from farmers or individuals (both trained or untrained) who have observed animals with neurological clinical signs and lesions compatible with bat bites, or who have seen or captured bats on their farms or houses. Once this report is made, AGROCALIDAD personnel is sent for field inspection, having to confirm the suspicion of rabies based on farm conditions and compatibility of signs. AGROCALIDAD personnel collect samples from all suspicious animals, which are further processed and analyzed using the Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA) test for rabies confirmatory diagnosis. In this case, study data comprised 846 bovine farms (with intra-farm sample sizes ranging from 1 to 16 samples) located in different ecoregions of Ecuador; out of these, 397 (46.93%) farms tested positive for animal rabies, revealing six statistically significant spatial clusters. Among these clusters, three high-risk areas were identified in the southeast of Ecuador. Seasonality was confirmed by the Ljung-Box test for both the number of cases (p < 0.001) and the positivity rate (p < 0.001). The Pacific Coastal lowlands and Sierra regions showed a lower risk of positivity compared to Amazonia (OR = 0.529; 95% CI = 0.318 - 0.883; p = 0.015 and OR = 0.633; 95% CI = 0.410 - 0.977; p = 0.039, respectively). The breeding of non-bovine animal species demonstrated a lower risk of positivity to animal rabies when compared to bovine (OR = 0.145; 95% CI = 0.062 - 0.339; p < 0.001). Similarly, older animals exhibited a lower risk (OR = 0.974; 95% CI = 0.967 - 0.981; p < 0.001). Rainfall during the rainy season was also found to decrease the risk of positivity to animal rabies (OR = 0.996; 95% CI = 0.995 - 0.998; p < 0.001). This study underscores the significance of strengthening the national surveillance program for the prevention and control of animal rabies in Ecuador and other countries facing similar epidemiological, social, and geographical circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- César Briceño-Loaiza
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Agencia de Regulación y Control Fito y Zoosanitario (AGROCALIDAD), Ecuador; Carrera de Agroecología, Instituto Superior Tecnológico Juan Montalvo, Loja, Ecuador
| | - Bastián Fernández-Sanhueza
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Recursos Naturales y Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile
| | - César Benavides-Silva
- Facultad de Historia, Geografía y Ciencia Política, Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica, Chile; Centro de Investigaciones Territoriales, Universidad Nacional de Loja, Ecuador
| | - José Yaguana Jimenez
- Carrera de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad Agropecuaria y de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Universidad Nacional de Loja, Ecuador
| | - André V Rubio
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pedro Ábalos
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Raúl A Alegría-Morán
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Recursos Naturales y Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Santo Tomás, Santiago, Chile.
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Ferreira-Machado E, Conselheiro JA, Bernardes da Silva BE, Matsumoto PSS, Castagna CL, Nitsche A, de Lima CS, Presotto D, Nunes da Silva MCR, Ervedosa TB, Navas-Suárez PE, de Jesus ÍP, de Carvalho J, Ressio RA, dos Santos Cirqueira C, Barone GT, del Castillo Saad L, Brandão PE, Catão-Dias JL, Guerra JM, de Azevedo Fernandes NCC. Naturally Acquired Rabies in White-Eared Opossum, Brazil. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:2541-2545. [PMID: 37987590 PMCID: PMC10683831 DOI: 10.3201/eid2912.230373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Opossums are considered resistant to rabies. Nonhematophagous bats are reservoirs of rabies in urban areas of South America. We analyzed bats and opossums tested for rabies during 2021 in a highly urbanized city in Brazil to understand spillover in an urban setting. Wildlife surveillance is necessary to prevent rabies in humans and domestic animals.
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Brito JEC, de Mello BGV, Gaeta NC, Batista JMN, Brito TR, Agostinho WC, Brandão PE, Heinemann MB, Dias RA. Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in urban-rural interfaces: community structure associated with pathogen screening in São Paulo-the largest metropolitan region in Brazil. Vet Res Commun 2023; 47:1575-1600. [PMID: 37154860 PMCID: PMC10165300 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-023-10112-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the influence of the urban environments on bat species 'ecology. The urbanization process potentially lead to critical ecological changes in bat communities' intra and interspecific pathogenic transmissions dynamics. To date, the monitoring of pathogens in bats in Brazil has only been done with bats found dead or alive in households, from rabies surveillance systems. The present work aimed to investigate how urbanization influenced bat richness, relative abundance and pathogen occurrence. Most captured bats were Phyllostomidae, especially Sturnira lilium, Artibeus lituratus, A. fimbriatus, Glossophaga soricina, and Platyrrhinus lineatus, among others. From preserved-rural towards urban areas the lesser the bat richness, the higher the relative abundance of the captured bats. Noise level, luminosity and relative humidity correlated with bat abundance. The proportion of genders, sexually active bats and their size (weight, right forearm length, and body condition index) were stable throughout the investigation. Still, the proportion of pregnant females was higher in Spring and the number of juveniles in Summer, evidencing the seasonality of reproduction. Several Enterobacteria were isolated, evidencing a significant role of bats in the circulation of pathogens of medical and veterinary interest. These results are crucial in the pursuit of a harmonious coexistence between humans, bats and domestic animals in areas with different levels of anthropization.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Eduardo Cavalcanti Brito
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Beatriz Gagete Veríssimo de Mello
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natália Carrillo Gaeta
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Maria Nunes Batista
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tiago Roberto Brito
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Washington Carlos Agostinho
- Laboratory of Viral Zoonosis, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Eduardo Brandão
- Laboratory of Viral Zoonosis, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcos Bryan Heinemann
- Laboratory of Bacterial Zoonosis, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Augusto Dias
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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5
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Johnson E, Campos-Cerqueira M, Jumail A, Yusni ASA, Salgado-Lynn M, Fornace K. Applications and advances in acoustic monitoring for infectious disease epidemiology. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:386-399. [PMID: 36842917 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases continue to pose a significant burden on global public health, and there is a critical need to better understand transmission dynamics arising at the interface of human activity and wildlife habitats. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), more typically applied to questions of biodiversity and conservation, provides an opportunity to collect and analyse audio data in relative real time and at low cost. Acoustic methods are increasingly accessible, with the expansion of cloud-based computing, low-cost hardware, and machine learning approaches. Paired with purposeful experimental design, acoustic data can complement existing surveillance methods and provide a novel toolkit to investigate the key biological parameters and ecological interactions that underpin infectious disease epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Johnson
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
| | | | - Amaziasizamoria Jumail
- Danau Girang Field Centre c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Block B, 5th Floor, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia; Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Ashraft Syazwan Ahmady Yusni
- Danau Girang Field Centre c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Block B, 5th Floor, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia; Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Milena Salgado-Lynn
- Danau Girang Field Centre c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Block B, 5th Floor, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia; Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Wildlife Health, Genetic and Forensic Laboratory, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Block B, 5th Floor, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
| | - Kimberly Fornace
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK; Centre for Climate Change and Planetary Health and Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore; National University Health System, Singapore 117549, Singapore
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Garcia AB, de Carvalho C, Casagrande D, Picinato MADC, Pedro WA, Marinho M, Queiroz LH. Rabies in Bats (Chiroptera, Mammalia) in Brazil: Prevalence and Potential Risk Factors Based on Twenty Years of Research in the Northwestern Region of São Paulo, Brazil. Vet Sci 2023; 10:vetsci10010034. [PMID: 36669035 PMCID: PMC9860975 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of rabies cases in bats has increased recently in Brazil and in the state of São Paulo, representing a new epidemiological scenario for this zoonosis. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of rabies in bats according to food habits, taxonomic classification, sex and season of the year to identify possible risk factors for rabies occurrence in bats. A retrospective analysis of 6389 records of bat samples, from different municipalities of São Paulo, submitted to rabies diagnosis and taxonomic identification was carried out at the Rabies Diagnostic and Chiroptera Laboratories of Unesp Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, from 1998 to 2017. Seventy-six (1.1%) positive rabies cases were detected in bats from ten species and seven genera of three families. The number of rabies-positive cases was higher in the dry season, with a significant association. The prevalence was higher in the Vespertilionidae family (37), especially Myotis nigricans (19) and Eptesicus furinalis (14). Frugivorous bats had a greater association with positivity for rabies, whereas the variable "sex" had no association. We recommend that the surveillance and control of rabies should be undertaken primarily during the dry season, especially in the Vespertilionidae family species and other species with a frugivorous food habit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Garcia
- Post-Graduation Program on Animal Health, Veterinary Medicine College of Araçatuba, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araçatuba 16050-680, SP, Brazil
| | - Cristiano de Carvalho
- Department of Production and Animal Health, Veterinary Medicine College of Araçatuba, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araçatuba 16050-680, SP, Brazil
| | - Daiene Casagrande
- Post-Graduation Program on Animal Health, Veterinary Medicine College of Araçatuba, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araçatuba 16050-680, SP, Brazil
| | - Mirelle Andrea de Carvalho Picinato
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Wagner Andre Pedro
- Department of Production and Animal Health, Veterinary Medicine College of Araçatuba, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araçatuba 16050-680, SP, Brazil
| | - Márcia Marinho
- Department of Production and Animal Health, Veterinary Medicine College of Araçatuba, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araçatuba 16050-680, SP, Brazil
| | - Luzia Helena Queiroz
- Department of Production and Animal Health, Veterinary Medicine College of Araçatuba, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araçatuba 16050-680, SP, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Zoonotic Risk: One More Good Reason Why Cats Should Be Kept Away from Bats. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10030304. [PMID: 33807760 PMCID: PMC8002059 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are often unfairly depicted as the direct culprit in the current COVID-19 pandemic, yet the real causes of this and other zoonotic spillover events should be sought in the human impact on the environment, including the spread of domestic animals. Here, we discuss bat predation by cats as a phenomenon bringing about zoonotic risks and illustrate cases of observed, suspected or hypothesized pathogen transmission from bats to cats, certainly or likely following predation episodes. In addition to well-known cases of bat rabies, we review other diseases that affect humans and might eventually reach them through cats that prey on bats. We also examine the potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of COVID-19, from domestic cats to bats, which, although unlikely, might generate a novel wildlife reservoir in these mammals, and identify research and management directions to achieve more effective risk assessment, mitigation or prevention. Overall, not only does bat killing by cats represent a potentially serious threat to biodiversity conservation, but it also bears zoonotic implications that can no longer be neglected.
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