Outbreaks of human rabies transmitted by vampire bats in Alto Baudó and Bajo Baudó municipalities, department of Chocó, Colombia, 2004-2005
Keywords:
rabies virus, Lyssavirus, chiroptera, bonding, human-pet, zoonoses, disease outbreaks, Colombia
Abstract
Introduction. During months May to July 2004, a rabies outbreak in the Embera community of Birrinchao, in the Purricha river basin department of Chocó was reported with 14 human deaths. Another rabies outbreak was reported in January 2005 in the black communities of Pató and Nauca in the neighboring municipality of Alto Baudó with 3 human deaths.
Objectives. To describe the largest outbreaks of human rabies transmitted by vampire bats reported in Colombia to date. To describe the diagnostic laboratory techniques used, and the
activities undertaken for the control of rabies in the area. To discuss the epidemiologic significance and public health implications of these rabies outbreaks.
Materials and methods. Rabies diagnosis was achieved by direct immunofluorescence, inoculation of mice and immunohistochemistry. Typing of the virus was achieved by indirect immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies. Rabies control activities were undertaken in Bajo Baudó consisting in a population census, human vaccination and application of antirabies sera, vaccination of dogs and cats, and application of anticoagulant to bats.
Results. Four human cases were confirmed as positive for rabies in both rabies outbreaks. Another 13 rabies cases in humans were inferred by strong epidemiological links. Rabies antigenic variant 3 was identified in the samples studied. Rabies control activities were conducted for a human rabies outbreak caused by vampire bats.
Conclusions. The human rabies outbreak in Bajo Baudó has been the largest reported in Colombia. It was caused by vampire bats, showing that these animals are a threat for human health. The implementation of control strategies for this kind of epizootic outbreaks is needed in South America. It remains unknown whether there is a link between this outbreak and one reported 6 months later in the neighboring municipality of Alto Baudó.
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References
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9. Páez A, Saad C, Núñez C, Bóshell J. Molecular epidemiology of rabies in northern Colombia 1994-2003: evidence for human and fox rabies associated with dogs. Epidemiol Infect 2005;133:529-36.
10. Findley JS. Bats: a community perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1995.
11. Gardner A. Feeding habits. In: Baker RJ, Jones-Jr JK, Carter DC, editors. Biology of bats of the New World. Family Phyllostomatidae. Part II. Lubbock, Texas: Texas Tech Press; 1977.
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13. Koopman KF. Systematic and distribution. In: Greenhall AM, Schmidt U, editors. Natural history of vampire bats. Florida: CRC Press; 1988.p.7-17.
14. Ministerio de la Protección Social. Resolución 2103 julio 1 de 2004. Rabia humana transmitida por murciélagos hematófagos en Bajo Baudó. Bogotá D.C., Colombia, 2004.
15. Ministerio de la Protección Social. Resolución 000201 febrero 8 de 2005. Rabia humana transmitida por murciélagos hematófagos en Alto Baudó. Bogotá D.C., Colombia, 2004
16. McQueen JL, Lewis AL, Schneider NJ. Rabies diagnosis by fluorescent antibody. I. Its evaluation in a public health laboratory. Am J Public Health 1960;50:1743-52.
17. Rodríguez G. Diagnóstico inmunológico del virus de la rabia en tejido incluido en parafina. Inf Quinc Epidemiol Nac 1997;16:235-6.
18. Koprowski H. Prueba de inoculación en ratones. En: Organización Mundial de la Salud. Técnicas de Laboratorio aplicadas a la rabia. Washington D.C.: OPS/OMS; 1956.p.57-69.
19.Dietzschold B, Rupprecht CE, Tollis M, Lafon M, Mattel J, Wiktor TJ, et al. Antigenic diversity of the glycoprotein and nucleocapsid proteins of rabies and rabies related viruses: implications for epidemiology and control of rabies. Rev Infect Dis 1988;10(Suppl. 4):785-98.
20. Parra EA, Neira M, Roa D. Rabia humana por virus tipo3 Bajo Baudó, Chocó. Biomédica 2004;24:237-8.
21. Baer GM. Vampire bat and bovine paralytic rabies. In: Baer GM, editor. The Natural History of Rabies. 2nd edition. Boston: CRC Press: 1991. Cap. 20.
22. Fundação Nacional da Saúde. Morcegos em áreas urbanas e rurais: Manual de Manejo e Controle. Brasilia: Ministério da Saúde; 1996.
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24. Gonçalves MA, Sa-Neto RJ, Brazil TK. Outbreak of aggressions and transmission of rabies in human beings by vampire bats in northeastern Brazil. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2002;35:461-4.
25. Schneider MC, Santos-Burgoa C. Algunas consideraciones sobre la rabia humana transmitida por murciélagos. Salud Publica Mex 1995;37:354-62.
26. Suescún O. Rabia en Antioquia, 1988. Boletín Epidemiológico de Antioquia 1988;14:62-5.
27. Páez A, Núñez C, García C, Bóshell J. Molecular epidemiology of rabies epizootics in Colombia: evidence for human and dog rabies associated with bats. J Gen Virol 2003;84:795-802.
28. Greenhall A. Etología y ecología de los murciélagos vampiros. Reunión de consulta sobre la atención de personas expuestas a rabia transmitida por vampiros. Washington D.C.: Organización Panamericana de la Salud/Organización Mundial de la Salud; 1991;p.11-8.
29. Ministry of Health of Brazil. Department of Health Surveillance. Human rabies transmitted by bats in Pará State, Brazil, 2004. Tecnical Note 16 April. Sao Paulo: Ministry of Health of Brazil, Department of Health Surveillance; 2004.
30. Orr PH, Rubin MR, Aoki FY. Naturally acquired serum rabies neutralizing antibody in a Canadian Inuit population. Arctic Med Res 1988;47(Suppl. 1):699-700
2. Bourhy H, Kissi B, Audry L, Smreczak M, Sadkowska-Todys M, Kulonen K, et al. Ecology and evolution of rabies virus in Europe. J Gen Virol 1999;80:2545-57.
3. Guerra MA, Curns AT, Rupprecht CE, Hanlon CA, Krebs JW, Childs JE. Skunk and raccoon rabies in the eastern United States: temporal and spatial analysis. Emerg Infect Dis 2003;9:1143-50.
4. Nel LH, Jacobs J, Jaftha J, Meredith C. Natural spillover of a distinctly Canidae-associated biotype of rabies virus into an expanded wildlife host range in southern Africa. Virus Genes 1997;15:79-82.
5. Sabeta CT, Bingham J, Nel LH. Molecular epidemiology of canid rabies in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Virus Res 2003,91:203-11.
6. Johnson N, Black C, Smith JS, Un H, McElhinney LM, Aylan O, et al. Rabies emergence among foxes in Turkey. J Wildl Dis 2003;39:262-70.
7. Krebs JW, Williams SM, Smith JS, Rupprecht CE, Childs JE. Rabies among infrequently reported mammalian carnivores in United States, 1960-2000. J Wildl Dis 2003;39:253-61.
8. Stankov S. Typing of field rabies virus strains in FR Yugoslavia by limited sequence analysis and monoclonal antibodies. Med Pregl 2001;54:446-52.
9. Páez A, Saad C, Núñez C, Bóshell J. Molecular epidemiology of rabies in northern Colombia 1994-2003: evidence for human and fox rabies associated with dogs. Epidemiol Infect 2005;133:529-36.
10. Findley JS. Bats: a community perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1995.
11. Gardner A. Feeding habits. In: Baker RJ, Jones-Jr JK, Carter DC, editors. Biology of bats of the New World. Family Phyllostomatidae. Part II. Lubbock, Texas: Texas Tech Press; 1977.
12. Greenhall AM. Feeding behavior. In: Greenhall AM, Schmidt U, editors. Natural history of vampire bats. Florida: CRC Press; 1988.p.111-31.
13. Koopman KF. Systematic and distribution. In: Greenhall AM, Schmidt U, editors. Natural history of vampire bats. Florida: CRC Press; 1988.p.7-17.
14. Ministerio de la Protección Social. Resolución 2103 julio 1 de 2004. Rabia humana transmitida por murciélagos hematófagos en Bajo Baudó. Bogotá D.C., Colombia, 2004.
15. Ministerio de la Protección Social. Resolución 000201 febrero 8 de 2005. Rabia humana transmitida por murciélagos hematófagos en Alto Baudó. Bogotá D.C., Colombia, 2004
16. McQueen JL, Lewis AL, Schneider NJ. Rabies diagnosis by fluorescent antibody. I. Its evaluation in a public health laboratory. Am J Public Health 1960;50:1743-52.
17. Rodríguez G. Diagnóstico inmunológico del virus de la rabia en tejido incluido en parafina. Inf Quinc Epidemiol Nac 1997;16:235-6.
18. Koprowski H. Prueba de inoculación en ratones. En: Organización Mundial de la Salud. Técnicas de Laboratorio aplicadas a la rabia. Washington D.C.: OPS/OMS; 1956.p.57-69.
19.Dietzschold B, Rupprecht CE, Tollis M, Lafon M, Mattel J, Wiktor TJ, et al. Antigenic diversity of the glycoprotein and nucleocapsid proteins of rabies and rabies related viruses: implications for epidemiology and control of rabies. Rev Infect Dis 1988;10(Suppl. 4):785-98.
20. Parra EA, Neira M, Roa D. Rabia humana por virus tipo3 Bajo Baudó, Chocó. Biomédica 2004;24:237-8.
21. Baer GM. Vampire bat and bovine paralytic rabies. In: Baer GM, editor. The Natural History of Rabies. 2nd edition. Boston: CRC Press: 1991. Cap. 20.
22. Fundação Nacional da Saúde. Morcegos em áreas urbanas e rurais: Manual de Manejo e Controle. Brasilia: Ministério da Saúde; 1996.
23. Lopez A, Miranda PP, Tejada E, Fishbein DB. Outbreak of human rabies in the Peruvian jungle. Lancet 1992;339:408-12.
24. Gonçalves MA, Sa-Neto RJ, Brazil TK. Outbreak of aggressions and transmission of rabies in human beings by vampire bats in northeastern Brazil. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2002;35:461-4.
25. Schneider MC, Santos-Burgoa C. Algunas consideraciones sobre la rabia humana transmitida por murciélagos. Salud Publica Mex 1995;37:354-62.
26. Suescún O. Rabia en Antioquia, 1988. Boletín Epidemiológico de Antioquia 1988;14:62-5.
27. Páez A, Núñez C, García C, Bóshell J. Molecular epidemiology of rabies epizootics in Colombia: evidence for human and dog rabies associated with bats. J Gen Virol 2003;84:795-802.
28. Greenhall A. Etología y ecología de los murciélagos vampiros. Reunión de consulta sobre la atención de personas expuestas a rabia transmitida por vampiros. Washington D.C.: Organización Panamericana de la Salud/Organización Mundial de la Salud; 1991;p.11-8.
29. Ministry of Health of Brazil. Department of Health Surveillance. Human rabies transmitted by bats in Pará State, Brazil, 2004. Tecnical Note 16 April. Sao Paulo: Ministry of Health of Brazil, Department of Health Surveillance; 2004.
30. Orr PH, Rubin MR, Aoki FY. Naturally acquired serum rabies neutralizing antibody in a Canadian Inuit population. Arctic Med Res 1988;47(Suppl. 1):699-700
How to Cite
1.
Valderrama J, García I, Figueroa G, Rico E, Sanabria J, Rocha N, et al. Outbreaks of human rabies transmitted by vampire bats in Alto Baudó and Bajo Baudó municipalities, department of Chocó, Colombia, 2004-2005. biomedica [Internet]. 2006 Sep. 1 [cited 2024 May 17];26(3):387-96. Available from: https://revistabiomedica.org/index.php/biomedica/article/view/357
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