Bat-associated Rabies Virus in Skunks

Leslie, Mira J.; Messenger, Sharon; Rohde, Rodney E.; Smith, Julian Anderson; Cheshier, Ronald; Hanlon, Cathleen A.; Rupprecht, Charles E.

doi:10.3201/eid1708.051526

Cited by 51 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Both national and Arizona-specific studies indicate skunks as rabies vectors in the US Southwest (Leslie et al 2006, Blanton et al 2010, Kuzmin et al 2012. The data presented here from Pima County and from Arizona reinforce the finding that, unlike the national picture of rabies, raccoons play a limited role in this region (only one of 1285 reported rabid raccoon for these 9 years in Arizona).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

Recognizing the Role of Skunks in Human and Animal Rabies Exposures in the Southwest

Clark

Taylor

García

et al. 2015

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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Rabies is arguably the most important viral zoonotic disease worldwide with an estimated 55,000 human deaths each year. Globally, dogs are the primary animals affected. In the United States, especially on the East Coast, raccoons and bats are the primary reservoir. However, in the southwestern United States, skunk and bat rabies play a large role. We describe the epidemiology and environmental risk factors associated with rabies in the US Southwest using exposure data for 2004-2012 from one Arizona county as a case study. Unlike other parts of the country, here bats and skunks are the most commonly collected positive animals (62% and 32%, respectively). Even though most of the positive animals were bats, human and domestic animal exposures were primarily a result of skunk interactions (58% and 50%, respectively). Consequently, the majority of exposures occur early in the year, January and February, when the majority of skunk pickups also occur. Using public health surveillance data, our study highlights the importance of recognizing the role of skunks in human and animal exposures in the southwestern United States. Consistent with a "One Health" approach, our data show how wildlife and domestic animal and human exposures are associated and informative to one another.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 89%

Recognizing the Role of Skunks in Human and Animal Rabies Exposures in the Southwest

Clark

Taylor

García

et al. 2015

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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“…13 Normally interspecies infection produces a single fatal spillover and secondary transmission has seldom been observed in nature. 14 RABV has unique characteristics that influence the outcome after animal infection. Independent cycles are the result of virus adaptation to replicate preferentially in certain host species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluorescent antibody test, quantitative polymerase chain reaction pattern and clinical aspects of rabies virus strains isolated from main reservoirs in Brazil

Appolinário

Allendorf

Vicente

et al. 2015

The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases

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Rabies virus (RABV) isolated from different mammals seems to have unique characteristics that influence the outcome of infection. RABV circulates in nature and is maintained by reservoirs that are responsible for the persistence of the disease for almost 4000 years. Considering the different pattern of pathogenicity of RABV strains in naturally and experimentally infected animals, the aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of RABV variants isolated from the main Brazilian reservoirs, being related to a dog (variant 2), Desmodus rotundus (variant 3), crab eating fox, marmoset, and Myotis spp. Viral replication in brain tissue of experimentally infected mouse was evaluated by two laboratory techniques and the results were compared to clinical evolution from five RABV variants. The presence of the RABV was investigated in brain samples by fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for quantification of rabies virus nucleoprotein gene (N gene). Virus replication is not correlated with clinical signs and evolution. The pattern of FAT is associated with RABV replication levels. Virus isolates from crab eating fox and marmoset had a longer evolution period and higher survival rate suggesting that the evolution period may contribute to the outcome. RABV virus variants had independent characteristics that determine the clinical evolution and survival of the infected mice.

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“…Spillover of rabies virus variants from 1 species to another occurs, but sustained transmission of such variants in nonreservoir species is rare ( 4 ). The area around Flagstaff, Arizona (Coconino County), USA, was free of sustained rabies virus transmission until 2001, when a spillover of a bat rabies virus variant was followed by a suspected host shift, with increased transmission in striped skunk ( Mephitis mephitis ) populations ( 5 ). Control measures were launched to halt rabies spread in skunks and limit the potential for human exposures ( 6 ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Control measures were launched to halt rabies spread in skunks and limit the potential for human exposures ( 6 ). These efforts appeared to control rabies spread in skunk populations until 2004, when 5 striped skunks and 1 gray fox ( Urocyon cinereorgenteus ) were diagnosed as rabid, and rabies was confirmed in an additional striped skunk, a gray fox, and a feral cat ( Felis catus ) in 2005 ( 5 ). Rabies was quiescent after this resurgence in 2004/2005 until fall 2008 when the disease was confirmed in several gray foxes and striped skunks ( 4 ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%