Descripción epidemiológica del reservorio de rabia en murciélagos de la Región Metropolitana: Chile. 2000-2009 / Epidemiological description of rabies reservoir in bats in the Metropolitan Region: Chile. 2000-2009

In Chile, in 1985 rabies was detected in insectivorous bats. Since then the epidemiological surveillance activities was extended to these species and the epidemiological pattern was characterized as endemic in bats. In this study we analyzed positive rabies cases in the Metropolitan Region between 2000 and 2009. We identified 325 cases of rabies in 11.472 analyzed samples. We determined an increase of positivity cases in bats between the years of the study. Places with the highest number of positives cases were Las Condes, Santiago, Providencia, Puente Alto and Ñuñoa. In 147 cases we identify the circumstances in which the bat was found: 89 inside, 45 outside the building and 13 in public spaces. In 39 cases there was contact with humans or animals. These results reinforce the relevance of educating the population against the contact with bats and allow health authorities to take early surveillance and control measures.

En Chile, en 1985, se detectó por primera vez rabia en murciélagos insectívoros. Desde entonces, las acciones de vigilancia epidemiológica se ampliaron hacia estas especies, caracterizándose el patrón epidemiológico como una endemia en quirópteros. En este estudio se analizaron epidemiológicamente los casos positivos a rabia en la Región Metropolitana, entre los años 2000 y 2009. Se identificaron 325 casos de rabia en murciélagos de un total de 11.472 analizados. Se determinó un aumento de positividad en los murciélagos entre los años analizados. Las comunas con mayor número de positivos fueron Las Condes, Santiago, Providencia, Puente Alto y Ñuñoa. En 147 casos se señalan las circunstancias en que se encontró el murciélago: 89 al interior, 45 al exterior del inmueble y 13 en la vía pública. En 39 casos hubo contacto con personas o animales. Estos resultados reafirman la importancia de la educación de la población frente al contacto con murciélagos y permiten a las autoridades sanitarias tomar las medidas de vigilancia y control en forma oportuna.

Rabies transmitted by vampire bats to humans: an emerging zoonotic disease in Latin America? / La rabia transmitida por murciélagos vampiros a humanos: ¿una zoonosis emergente en América Latina?

Human rabies transmitted by vampire bats reached new heights in Latin America in 2005. A total of 55 human cases were reported in several outbreaks, 41 of them in the Amazon region of Brazil. Peru and Brazil had the highest number of reported cases from 1975 to 2006. In Peru, outbreaks involving more than 20 cases of bat-transmitted human rabies were reported during the 1980s and 1990s. During this period, a smaller number of cases were reported from outbreaks in Brazil. A comparison of data from field studies conducted in Brazil in 2005 with those from the previous decade suggests similar bat-bite situations at the local level. The objective of this study was to review the epidemiological situation and, on the basis of this information, discuss possible factors associated with the outbreaks. Prevention and control measures already recommended for dealing with this problem are also reviewed, and some further suggestions are provided.

La rabia en humanos transmitida por murciélagos vampiros aumentó en América Latina en 2005. Se notificaron varios brotes con un total de 55 personas enfermas, 41 de ellas en la región amazónica de Brasil. Perú y Bolivia acumularon el mayor número de casos notificados entre 1975 y 2006. En Perú se informaron brotes de más de 20 personas con rabia transmitida por murciélagos en las décadas de 1980 y 1990. En ese período se informó un número menor de casos en los brotes de Brasil. Al comparar los datos de estudios de campo realizados en Brasil en 2005 con los obtenidos en décadas anteriores se observaron situaciones similares en cuanto a los casos de mordidas por murciélagos a nivel local. En este estudio se presenta una revisión de la situación epidemiológica y, a partir de esa información, se discuten los posibles factores asociados con los brotes. Se revisan también las medidas de prevención y control ya recomendadas para hacer frente a este problema y se ofrecen algunas recomendaciones adicionales.

Rabies 2007: perspective from Asia.

Rabies remains a public health problem in many parts of the less developed world. Much is known about the virology, pathophysiology, epidemiology, and methods for control but this knowledge is not applied in many countries. Thailand has been on the frontline of efforts to conduct research in rabies for almost a century, starting with Dr. Leopold Robert from the Institute Pasteur of Paris. He was invited by the Thai King in 1913 to develop a research and production facility for rabies vaccine and snake antivenins which later became the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute. Thai physicians, scientists and nurses, jointly with some notable expatriate colleagues, were then responsible for major advances in rabies vaccine development, rational application of preand postexposure prophylaxis and better understanding of immunology and pathophysiology of this dread disease. They not only discovered new scientific principles but also cost-benefit methods for their application and set the foundation for the work conducted in Thailand during the next two decades. Many concepts developed by Thai scientists have been incorporated into WHO and US-CDC rabies management guidelines. This is an overview of significant developments during the past two decades [1-8].