Human Rabies and Rabies in Vampire and Nonvampire Bat Species, Southeastern Peru, 2007

After a human rabies outbreak in southeastern Peru, we collected bats to estimate the prevalence of rabies in various species.Among 165 bats from 6 genera and 10 species, 10.3% were antibody positive; antibody prevalence was similar in vampire and nonvampire bats.Thus, nonvampire bats may also be a source for human rabies in Peru.R abies is one of the better known encephalitis viruses of the family Rhabdoviridae and genus Lyssavirus.In the sylvatic cycle, this infection is maintained as an enzootic disease in several species, such as foxes, raccoons, and bats.The hematophagous bat, Desmodus rotundus, is the main vector and reservoir for sylvatic human rabies in South America (1), in contrast with other areas in the world where dogs serve as the main source of infection for humans in the urban cycle. The StudyDuring December 2006-March 2007, a total of 23 human sylvatic rabies cases occurred in Puno (n = 6) and Madre de Dios (n = 17), Peru.The affected population consisted mainly of gold miners and their families who relocate to the area during the rainy season for small-scale mining before returning to their original towns for agricultural activities during the rest of the year.A vampire bat (D. rotundus) rabies virus variant was identified from clinical samples of deceased patients (2).After the rainy season ended, a team from the US Naval Medical Research Center Detachment, the Ministerio de Salud (Peruvian Ministry of Health), the Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agraria (Agricultural Health Service), and the Museo de Historia Natural (Natural History Museum) from the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (San Marcos University) traveled to the area to conduct bat collections.The objective of the survey was to identify the prevalence of rabies infection among hematophagous (vampire) and nonhematophagous bats and to assess the distribution of bat genera within the outbreak area.We sampled 2 study sites (A and B) for this survey.The first collection was conducted in the region of Madre de Dios (location A, 13° 7′53.53′′S,70°24′28.27′′W)from May 2 through May 4, 2007.The second site was located in the region of Puno (location B, 13°15′29.57′′S,70°19′39.14′′W)and sampled from May 6 through May 10, 2007 (Figure).Both trapping sites were located within 1 km of reported rabies cases in humans.Bats were collected by using mist nets.These nets were situated along the river banks, in secondary forests, and in manioc and banana plantations.In addition to the above habitats, bats in location B were collected in cattle grazing areas and in 2 caves.Mist nets were set out every afternoon before dusk, checked every 1.5 hours, and closed at midnight, after 7 hours.Bats were removed from mist nets by using protective leather gloves.Each animal was placed inside a canvas bag, transported to a processing location, and kept until the following morning when they were processed as previously described (3).Brain tissues and blood samples collected on necropsy were kept in a liquid nitrogen container for storage and shipping to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA, USA.Carcasses were tagged and stored in formalin for shipment to the Museo de Historia Natural in Lima for positive species identification.Blood samples processed at CDC were tested for rabies virus-specific antibodies by using a rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT).Brain stems were tested by direct fluorescence antibody (DFA) for evidence of active disease.Antibody prevalence was calculated by using the binomial exact method; antibody prevalence rates between