ESTUDO DE PREVALÊNCIA DO VÍRUS DA RAIVA EM MORCEGOS CAPTURADOS NO MUNICÍPIO DE VARGINHA-MG

Abstract

Belogins to the Rhabdoviridae family, the rabies virus is still considered a contemporary disease that causes negative impacts on livestock and public health. Considered a zoonosis, the first reports of the occurrence of rabies in humans are from ancient Greece, where the disease was associated with dogs. However, over the centuries and with the deepening of the study on the pathology, a more important reservoir, the bat, was discovered. The bats are currently considered the main vector of the virus and responsible for the maintenance of the air cycle, which is related to the other classic cycles of rabies. Thus, it is essential that, for rabies control, there is a detailed analysis of the sample, allowing its identification with data on location of origin, taxonomy, habits, and collection data. Thus, allowing the blocking action more suited to the reality of the outbreak site, making the work of epidemiological surveillance more

effective. This study analyzed the data collected by the Zoonoses Control Center of Varginha- MG, wich analyzed the seroprevalence of rabies positivity in bats, dog, cats, and non-human

primates, the first being the only ones positively diagnosed for rabies through of the laboratory technique of RIFD. Bat rules were also differentiated with the variables of eating habits, taxonomy, and season of the year to identify possible risk factors. The main preventive actions initiated by the Center for Zoonosis Control of Varginha-MG were the promotion of public awareness campaigns