O-Rabies virus in a pregnant naturally infected southern yellow bat (Lasiurus ega)

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J. Venom. Anim. Toxins incl. Trop. Dis.

V.17, n.2, p.223-225, 2011.

Short communication - ISSN 1678-9199.

Rabies virus in a pregnant naturally infected southern yellow bat (Lasiurus ega)

Allendorf SD (1), Albas A (2), Cipriano JRB (1), Antunes JMAP (1), Appolinário CM (1), Peres MG (1), da Rosa AR (3), Sodré MM (3), Megid J (1)

(1) Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, São Paulo State University (UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista), Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil; (2) São Paulo Agency of Agribusiness Technology, APTA, Presidente Prudente, São Paulo State, Brazil; (3) Chiropteran Sector, Zoonosis Control Center, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil.

Abstract: Current knowledge on bat lyssavirus infections in their native hosts is limited and little is known about the virulence, virus dissemination and transmission among free-living insectivorous bats. The present study is a brief description of rabies virus (RABV) dissemination in tissues of a naturally infected pregnant southern yellow bat (Lasiurus ega) and its fetuses, obtained by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The RT-PCR was positive in samples from the brain, salivary gland, tongue, lungs, heart, kidneys and liver. On the other hand, the placenta, three fetuses, spleen, intestine and brown fat tissue tested negative. This research demonstrated the absence of rabies virus in the fetuses, thus, in this specific case, the transplacentary transmission was not observed.

Key words: rabies, bats, vertical transmission, RT-PCR.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Avelino Albas for kindly providing the bat for this study and for the previous diagnosis of rabies infection.

SUBMISSION STATUS

Received: November 5, 2010.

Accepted: March 16, 2011.

Abstract published online: March 17, 2011.

Full paper published online: May 31, 2011.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

There is no conflict.

FINANCIAL SOURCE

The State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) provided the financial grant (process number 05/59818-6).

CORRESPONDENCE TO

JANE MEGID, Departamento de Higiene Veterinária e Saúde Pública, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, Botucatu, SP, 18618-970, Brasil. Phone: +55 14 3811 6270. Fax: 55 14 3811 6075. Email: jane@fmvz.unesp.br.