Caracterização molecular de cepas do Vírus da raiva (Lyssavirus; Rhabdoviridae) isoladas no Estado do Pará

Abstract

Rabies is the oldest zoonosis that has an important impact in public health due its high mortality. The dogs are main responsible for the rabies maintenance cycle and transmission for the humans, however, in the last years, the hematophagous bats have been winning prominence as potential transmitters of rabies for vertebrate animals and humans in the American continent. Recently, several outbreaks of human rabies transmitted by hematophagous bats were notified in the Para State showing an increased alteration of the natural environment of those animals. Partial amplification of gene N by RT-PCR technique of 62 positives samples for rabies virus diagnosed by direct fluorescence assay and viral isolation from different cities of Para State was performed. Nucleotide sequences were obtained and compared among themself and with other rabies virus stains isolated in Brazil, using maximum likelihood and Bayesian method. The phylogenetic analysis furnished the molecular epidemiologic profile of rabies virus variants found in Para State, in which was observed the emergence of cases associated to the antigenic variant 3 (AgV3) that is commonly found in the vampire bats Desmodus rotundus and loweemember of cases related to the antigenic variant 2 associated to domestic dogs, as well as it was recognized three diferent genetic lineages of AgV3, one lineage of AgV2 and a possible new rabies virus variant isolated from a frugivorous bat Uroderma bilobatum.