New animal hosts of rabies virus in mountain areas in Zhejiang province / 中华流行病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To understand the prevalence of rabies among wild animals and the animal species in rabies epidemic areas of Zhejiang province. Methods One hundred and sixty samples were collected from the brain tissues of cats, stoats, Apodemus agrarius, Moschus chinensis, and Sus scrofa in Lishui and Chunan cities of Zhejiang province. Each sample was divided into four parts cerebrum,mesencephal, cerebellum and cyrus hippocampi which were used to determine the positive samples by detection of rabies virus specific antigens and nucleotides, using DFA and RT-PCR methods. Results Positive slides in the tests contained a glaring, apple green brilliance fluorescence using rabies virus specific monoclonal antibody against nucleoprotein. Using Nested-PCR method targeted at part of N gene,five positive samples were identified which consisting of four positive samples from stoats with positive ratio as 8.33% (4/48) and one positive sample from Apodemns agrarius with positive ratio as 1.75% (1/57). However, no positive result was found from cats, Moschus chinensis, and Sus scrofa samples. Conclusion Rabies virus positive samples were identified from stoats and Apodemus agrarins in the mountain areas with biological diversity in Lishui and Chunan cities of Zhejiang province,indicating that stoats and Apodemus agrarius might have played a role in human rabies and acted as host of rabies virus. In order to effectively prevent and control rabies virus under these complicated geographical and ecological environment, we must understand and evaluate the infection situation among animals in these regions.