Abstract
A limited number of meso-carnivores act as reservoirs of the rabies virus (RABV) globally and play a key role in its maintenance in the wild. Rabies virus–neutralizing antibodies (RVNA) indicate a response to rabies vaccination but are also detected in unvaccinated populations suggesting non-fatal exposure. In the ecological park La Venta, in Mexico’s Tabasco state, we conducted a 4-year (from 2009 to 2012) serological survey in order to chart the trends of rabies-neutralizing antibodies in 239 white-nosed coatis (Nasua narica) and 74 raccoons (Procyon lotor). No wild carnivores had been vaccinated in this region. Oral swabs were taken from 44 animals to assess RABV in their saliva. RVNA titers were determined using the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT). The overall prevalence of RVNA was 19.4% (CI 95% 15.3–24.1). In coatis the prevalence was 16.7% (CI 95% 12.4–21.9) and in raccoons it was 28.4% (CI 95% 19.0–39.4). Variations over time were detected, with two peaks in June 2009 and June 2011, respectively. The median IU/ml was 0.81 (± 0.13) for both species. Antibody titers ranged from 0.24 to 0.90 IU for coatis and from 0.12 to 5.70 IU for raccoons. All saliva samples were negative for RABV, indicating that the animals were not excreting the virus in saliva at the time of collection. The antibody prevalence and titer dynamics are consistent with subclinical infections, suggesting that both species in La Venta have been exposed to RABV.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the authorities and workers of zoological park “Parque Museo La Venta” for the facilities provided to accomplish the present work and to José Luis Jiménez, Catherine Filejski, and Francisco José Aréchiga-Ceballos for their contributions in reviewing and editing this manuscript in English.
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E.R.F., N.A.C., C.I.M.G., and C.V.G. conceived and performed the experiments; A.G.B. performed experiments; E.R.F. and N.A.C. performed analyses and wrote the manuscript; L.M.G.C., G.S.A., and A.A.S., secure funding and provided reagents, expertise and feedback. All authors reviewed the manuscript.
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Rendón-Franco, E., García-Baltazar, A., Muñoz-García, C.I. et al. Seroepidemiological analyses of rabies virus in two procyonid species from La Venta urban park, in Tabasco, Mexico. Eur J Wildl Res 69, 93 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-023-01722-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-023-01722-x