RESUMO
We analyzed 50 rabies virus samples isolated in Brazil from 12 dogs, 11 cats, 5 vampire bats, 15 cattle, 2 horses, 1 pig, 1 sheep, and 3 humans to investigate the molecular epidemiology of rabies viruses. We sequenced 203 nucleotides on the nucleoprotein gene by direct sequencing of the PCR-amplified products. All the isolates belonged to the genotype 1 and homology of the 203 nucleotides was at least 83.7% among isolates. The main reservoirs were estimated based on the homology of nucleotide sequences. Brazilian rabies virus isolates were clustered into two reservoir groups: dogs and vampire bats. All the dog-related rabies virus isolates showed nucleotide homology greater than 99.0%. Vampire bat-related rabies virus isolates showed nucleotide homology greater than 96.6% and could be further divided into subgroups corresponding to areas where viruses were isolated. These data suggest that circulating rabies variants belong to at least two different genotype clusters in Brazil and that these two clusters are maintained independently among vampire bats and dogs.
Assuntos
Quirópteros , Reservatórios de Doenças , Cães , Vírus da Raiva/isolamento & purificação , Raiva/veterinária , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Sequência de Bases , Brasil/epidemiologia , Gatos , Bovinos , Doenças do Cão/virologia , Cavalos , Humanos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Proteínas do Nucleocapsídeo/genética , Filogenia , RNA Viral/genética , Raiva/epidemiologia , Raiva/virologia , Vírus da Raiva/genética , Alinhamento de Sequência , Homologia de Sequência , Ovinos , SuínosRESUMO
Brain samples from different animal species including humans: five vampire bats, 14 cattle, 12 dogs, 11 cats, two horses, one pig, one sheep and three humans collected from various geographical regions of Brazil were found to be positive for rabies by means of the fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and the mouse inoculation test (MIT). The brain samples were retested for rabies by means of the reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with 2 primer sets (P1/P2 and RHNI/RHNS3), which amplified full or partial regions on the nucleoprotein (N) gene of the rabies virus, respectively. Brain samples from five vampire bats, 13 cattle, one horse and one sheep failed to yield PCR products when the RHN1/RHNS3 primer pair was used, but all brain samples successfully yielded the products when the P1/P2 primer pair was used. These results suggest that Brazilian rabies virus isolates could be principally divided into two populations according to genetic difference.