Gómez-Carro S, Ortiz-Alcaraz ML, Jiménez-Ríos E, Santos-Briones S, Marín-Pech E

Language: Spanish
References: 10
Page: 118-122
PDF size: 48.58 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction. The last known case of human rabies in Yucatan transmitted by a dog was registered in 1998. In 2001 the first case transmitted by a wild animal was reported in a 4 year old girl. However, there had not previously been a case registered by vampire bats.
Epidemiologic clinical case. The results of the study done on the body of a 12 year old girl from the state of Yucatan showed she died from febrile syndrome and viral encephalitis. These symptoms are consistent with the rabies virus infection; however, there was no supporting report or evidence of aggression by a domestic or wild animal. As a result, investigations were carried out to identify any indicators relating affected to: animal aggression, co-existence with domestic animals, anti-rabies vaccination in these domestic animals, recent human and animal contacts of the individual, and inspection of housing conditions and the surrounding area.
Discussion. A further epidemiologic study identified that an unexpected bite from a vampire bat was the probable cause of the infection. This conclusion was supported by the investigation which showed that her housing conditions were precarious, and the house was located next to a cave which is a common habitat for vampire bats. The diagnosis was confirmed post-mortem by The National Institute of Epidemiologic Reference which found the AgV5 rabies antigenic variant of a bat. In conclusion, we stress the importance of carrying out preventative measures to detect and keep a watch on colonies of vampire bats when there is a suspected diagnosis of rabies in a rural community.

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