Vampire Bat Desmodus Rotundus Shelters in the Central Region of São Paulo State, Brazil

Abstract

The vampire bat Desmodus rotundus is the main transmitter of domestic herbivorous rabies, which causes economic losses in cattle raising, being a serious public health problem. The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allows the spatial monitoring of these bats shelters, which is an efficient way to prevent and control rabies. This study located shelters of D. rotundus in the Eastern Center region of São Paulo state and identified the types of shelters used (natural or artificial), their proximity to water, sexual composition, and population estimated of the colonies. Searches were carried out by colonies of vampire bats in natural and artificial shelters during 2002 to 2004, covering 18 municipalities. After located, the shelters were georeferenced, being recorded the nature of the shelter (natural or artificial), use (shelters of males, maternities, digestive) and estimated population. The data were incorporated into a GIS, producing a thematic map of the shelter’s location and their distance from the local water bodies. There were found 1.567 D. rotundus distributed in 94 shelters, where only six shelters (6.38%) were natural (caves). Most shelters (79.78%) were sparsely populated, with up to 15 bats, including male shelters (46 shelters) and 30 maternities (63.82% of maternities). Five shelters (5.37%) had between 50 and 100 bats and only two shelters (2.15%) had a population greater than 100 bats. Six shelters (6.38%) were inhabited houses, which is a concern for public health, as these may constitute a source of dangerous contamination for domestic and human carnivores. All the shelters were at a distance of up to 2 km of rivers or streams. The high percentage of artificial shelters found is a consequence of the intensification of the anthropic changes that increase the supply of food and shelter to D. rotundus, which associated with a large drainage network favors the dispersion of this species of bat in the region. The proximity of all D. rotundus shelters to the drainage network corroborates other studies in São Paulo state, where the areas close to the main rivers generally favor the existence of a larger number of shelters.

Phylogenetic Relationship Between Rabies Virus (Rabies Lyssavirus) Variants From Two Different Host Species

“…The vampire bat species, D. rotundus is distributed throughout Latin America, from northern Mexico to Argentina [15][16]. As D. rotundus feeds preferentially on the blood of cattle, the introduction and dissemination of herds provides food resources that are widely available in several regions of South America and have the potential for livestock production.…”

“…It is usually transmitted by the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus, which is the most common and abundant vampire bat. They inhabit forests and deserts and take shelter in tree hollows, caves, culverts, abandoned mines, and even civil construction sites [15][16].…”

Phylogenetic relationship of rabies virus (Rabies lyssavirus) in two different host species

“…It is usually transmitted by the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus, the species is the most common and abundant vampire bat. Inhabits forested and desert areas, taking shelter in tree hollows, caves, culverts, abandoned mines and even civil constructions [15][16].…”

“…The vampire bat species D. rotundus is distributed throughout Latin America, occurring from northern Mexico to Argentina [15][16]. As D. rotundus feeds preferentially on the blood of cattle, the introduction and dissemination of herds provided food resources widely available in several regions of South America, which have potential for livestock production.…”