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In order to determine the susceptibility and serum neutralizing antibody response of Desmodus rotundus to rabies virus, bats were inoculated with a virus isolated from a naturally infected haematophagous bat. Bats were divided into four groups of 10 animals each. Dilutions of rabies virus containing 100, 1000, 10,000 and 100,000 MICLD50 (lethal dose 50% for mice inoculated by the intracerebral route) were administrated in the pectoral muscle. The presence of rabies virus was detected in brain and salivary glands by fluorescent antibody, mouse inoculation and RT-PCR. The observed mortality for each virus dose was 0, 20, 20 and 60% respectively. Serum neutralizing antibodies were tested for by the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test, and antibody titres greater than 0.5 IU/ml were found in 53% of bats 30 days after virus inoculation. Resistance to infection was seen in bats that developed low or no detectable antibody response as well as in bats with high titres. Among the 10 bats that died of rabies, eight showed signs of paralytic rabies and two bats showed no clinical signs.

BackgroundThe significant biodiversity found in Brazil is a potential for the emergence of new zoonoses. Study in some places of the world suggest of the presence to hantavirus in tissues of bats. Researches of hantavirus in wildlife, out rodents, are very scarce in Brazil. Therefore we decided to investigate in tissues of different species of wild animals captured in the same region where rodents were detected positive for this virus. The present work analyzed ninety-one animals (64 rodents, 19 opossums, and 8 bats) from a region of the Atlantic forest in Biritiba Mirin City, São Paulo State, Brazil. Lungs and kidneys were used for RNA extraction.FindingsThe samples were screened for evidence of hantavirus infection by SYBR-Green-based real-time RT-PCR. Sixteen samples positive were encountered among the wild rodents, bats, and opossums. The detection of hantavirus in the lungs and kidneys of three marsupial species (Micoureus paraguayanus, Monodelphis ihering, and Didelphis aurita) as well in two species of bats (Diphylla ecaudata and Anoura caudifer) is of significance because these new hosts could represent an important virus reservoirs.ConclusionsThe analysis of nucleotide sequences of the partial S segment revealed that these genes were more related to the Araraquara virus strains. This work reinforces the importance of studying hantavirus in different animal species and performing a continued surveillance before this virus spreads in new hosts and generated serious problems in public health.

Abstract:The terrestrial mammal community was surveyed along three distinct localities (1-Mateiros, TO; 2-Rio da Conceição, TO e 3-Formosa do Rio Preto, BA) in the Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins. The small non-volant mammals were recorded by the use of conventional live traps (5,396 trap.nights) and pitfall traps (5,300 trap.nights) in the different physiognomies found, such as: "campo úmido", "campo limpo", "campo sujo", "campo cerrado", "cerrado sensu stricto", "cerrado sensu stricto with rocks", gallery forest and wet gallery forest. The large mammals were casually registered by visual or indirect evidences (tracks, feces, carcasses). We recorded 24 small non-volant mammals and 17 large mammals, totalizing 41 species for this region. The small mammal community was characterized by several rare and intermediate in abundance species, and few species very abundant. Rodents from the family Cricetidae dominated both in number of species (14) as in number of individuals (50% of the community). The species segregated among the forested and open formations, showing the great habitat selectivity and the importance to survey the habitat mosaic to characterize the diversity of this mammal group. The small non-volant mammal fauna surveyed showed some overlap with the fauna from the Caatinga and Amazon biomes, demonstrating the importance of these biomes in the faunal composition of the communities localized in the northern portion of the Cerrado. In addition, we also recorded endemic species and species with a restricted distribution to this north portion, characterizing a distinct community within the Cerrado. The large mammal community was characterized by a high number of threatened species (10), increasing the importance of this region in preserving the fauna of the northern portion of the Cerrado. Resumo: A comunidade de mamíferos terrestres foi amostrada em três localidades (1-Mateiros, TO; 2-Rio da Conceição, TO e 3-Formosa do Rio Preto, BA) no interior da Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins. Para o registro dos marsupiais e pequenos roedores foram utilizadas armadilhas convencionais (5.396 armadilhas. noite) e armadilhas de queda (5.300 pitfalls.noite) nas diferentes fitofisionomias encontradas, entre elas: campo úmido, campo limpo, campo sujo, campo cerrado, cerrado sensu stricto, cerrado com afloramentos rochosos, mata de galeria e mata de galeria úmida. No caso dos mamíferos de médio e grande porte, foram obtidos registros casuais através de observação direta e evidências indiretas (rastros, fezes, crânios e carcaças de animais encontrados mortos). Foram amostradas 24 espécies de pequenos mamíferos e 17 espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte, totalizando 41 espécies para a região. Considerando-se os pequenos mamíferos, a comunidade foi representada por várias espécies raras e de abundância intermediária, e poucas espécies muito abundantes. Os roedores cricetídeos dominaram tanto em número de espécies (14) quanto em abundância (50% da comunidade). As espécies se distribuíram, basicamen...

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During 28 days of field work in rainy season in 2003 and 2008, 39 species of bats were recorded in the Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins, northeastern State of Tocantins. This is one of the first studies about bat communities in the State of Tocantins increasing the number of species known to occur in that Federal unit, with 29 species representing the first occurrence for the State. Frugivores P. lineatus and C. perspicillata were the most common species in the community, with 23.5 and 15.4% of total captures. Diversity at the family level also was high with seven families recorded: Phyllostomidae (26 species), Vespertilionidae (5), Molossidae (3), Emballonuridae (2), Mormoopidae (1), Noctilionidae (1), and Thyropteridae (1). Most of mesic and cerrado (s.s.) areas are not included in this Conservation Unit, imposing a problem for the conservation of habitat-restricted species like T. devivoi which was captured only in "veredas" with Heliconiacea until now. Additionally, the region is facing an increase in the tourism, agriculture and pasture activities. Due to the high expected bat diversity for the area, the known ecological functions played by bats, and the several human induced threats, there is urgency concerning the conservation strategies for this group of mammals in the vicinity of the Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins. The species with high importance in relation to taxonomy, biogeography and conservation issues are: Lonchophylla dekeyseri, Glyphonycteris behnii, Micronycteris sanborni, Artibeus anderseni, Sturnira tildae and the recently described Thyroptera devivoi.

We present herein the first record of the small phyllostomine Trinycteris nicefori for the Brazilian state of Rondônia. The specimens were mist netted near the banks of Rio Madeira, in the municipality of Porto Velho. The capture area can be classified as dense ombrophilous forest of the Amazonian biome. Morphometric and qualitative data are presented, along with a table comparing Triniycteris to the two other similar genera, Glyphonycteris and Lampronycteris. The disjunct distribution of T. nicefori is briefly discussed.