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Rabies in southeast Brazil: a change in the epidemiological pattern

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Abstract

This epidemiological study was conducted using antigenic and genetic characterisation of rabies virus isolates obtained from different animal species in the southeast of Brazil from 1993 to 2007. An alteration in the epidemiological profile was observed. One hundred two samples were tested using a panel of eight monoclonal antibodies, and 94 were genetically characterised by sequencing the nucleoprotein gene. From 1993 to 1997, antigenic variant 2 (AgV-2), related to a rabies virus maintained in dog populations, was responsible for rabies cases in dogs, cats, cattle and horses. Antigenic variant 3 (AgV-3), associated with Desmodus rotundus, was detected in a few cattle samples from rural areas. From 1998 to 2007, rabies virus was detected in bats and urban pets, and four distinct variants were identified. A nucleotide similarity analysis resulted in two primary groups comprising the dog and bat antigenic variants and showing the distinct endemic cycles maintained in the different animal species in this region.

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Acknowledgment

This work was financial support by FAPESP (04/06740-7). Fellowships: Luzia H. Queiroz, CNPq (150886/2003-9); Marissol C. Lopes, FAPESP (04/12793-6)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária de Araçatuba, Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Rua Clóvis Pestana, 793, Araçatuba, SP, 16050-680, Brazil

    Luzia Helena Queiroz, Marissol Cardoso Lopes, Cristiano de Carvalho, Leandro Lima R. Venditti, Erica S. Ribeiro & Wagner André Pedro

  2. Instituto Pasteur de São Paulo, IP, Secretaria da Saúde do Estado de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Silvana Regina Favoretto

  3. Laboratório de Raiva e Encefalites do Centro de P&D de Sanidade Animal, Instituto Biológico, IB, Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA) da Secretaria da Agricultura do Estado de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Elenice Maria S. Cunha

  4. Núcleo de Pesquisas em Raiva do Laboratório de Virologia Clínica e Molecular do Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas ICB-II, Universidade de Sao Paulo, USP, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Silvana Regina Favoretto, Angélica Cristine A. Campos, Danielle Bastos Araújo & Edison Luiz Durigon

  5. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Epidemiologia Experimental Aplicada às Zoonoses, Universidade de Sao Paulo, USP, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Keila Iamamoto

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  1. Luzia Helena Queiroz
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  2. Silvana Regina Favoretto
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  3. Elenice Maria S. Cunha
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  10. Erica S. Ribeiro
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  11. Wagner André Pedro
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  12. Edison Luiz Durigon
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Correspondence to Luzia Helena Queiroz.

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Queiroz, L.H., Favoretto, S.R., Cunha, E.M.S. et al. Rabies in southeast Brazil: a change in the epidemiological pattern. Arch Virol 157, 93–105 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-011-1146-1

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