Rabies-Related Knowledge and Practices Among Persons At Risk of Bat Exposures in Thailand

Rabies is a fatal encephalitis caused by lyssaviruses. Evidence of lyssavirus circulation has recently emerged in Southeast Asian bats. We surveyed persons regularly exposed to bats and bat habitats in Thailand to assess rabies‐related knowledge and practices. Targeted groups included guano miners, bat hunters, game wardens, and residents/personnel at Buddhist temples where mass bat roosting occurs. Of the 106 people interviewed, 11 (10%) identified bats as a source of rabies. History of a bat bite/scratch was reported by 29 (27%), and 38 (36%) expressed either that they would do nothing or that they did not know what they would do in response to a bat bite. Guano miners were less likely than other groups to indicate animal bites as a mechanism of transmission (68% vs. 90%, p=0.03) and were less likely to say they would respond appropriately to a bat bite or scratch (61% vs. 27%, p=0.003). These findings indicate a need for educational outreach in Thailand to raise awareness of bat rabies, promote exposure prevention, and ensure health‐seeking behaviors for bat‐inflicted wounds, particularly among at‐risk groups

Detection of Rabies Virus Antigen in Dog Saliva Using a Latex Agglutination Test

ABSTRACT Dog bites are responsible for more than 90% of human rabies deaths in Asia. We developed a simple and inexpensive test based on latex agglutination (LA) for rabies virus antigen detection in dog saliva. Rabies virus antigen could be detected by agglutination on a glass slide using latex particles coated with gamma globulin. By evaluation of paired saliva-brain specimens from 238 dogs, the LA test using saliva was 99% specific and 95% sensitive compared to the fluorescent antibody test (FAT) on brain smears. The advantages of the LA test over the standard FAT are that it is comparatively simple and there is no need to kill the animal before examination.</jats:p

Rabies: epidemiological tendencies and control tools.

International audienceRabies, an acute progressive encephalitis, is an ancient zoonosis. Its distribution encompasses all continents, except Antarctica. Agents consist of at least 11 species orgenotypes of rhabdoviruses, in the Genus Lyssavirus. Susceptible natural hosts include all mammals. Primary reservoirs reside in the Orders Carnivora and Chiroptera. A plethora of variants, maintained by a diversity of abundant hosts, presents a challenge to a strict concept of true eradication. Globally, the domestic dog remains the most significant species for viral transmission, responsible for millions of suspect human exposures and tens of thousands of fatalities. As such, this single major target provides an ideal opportunity for focused intervention programmes in humane disease prevention and control, driven by laboratory-based surveillance and guided via modern epidemiological insights. Historically, substantial technical progress throughout the 20th century led to the development of safe, affordable and efficacious animal and human vaccines, resulting in declining disease burdens in selected developed and developing countries. Regional and local disease resurgence occurs, due in part to a combination of political and economic instability, environmental perturbations, and shifting government priorities. Society must recall that despite the recent recognition of other important emerging infectious diseases, none exceed the case fatality rate of rabies. Given the clear relevance of rabies in public health, agriculture, and conservation biology, substantive international progress must continue towards enhanced public awareness, human rabies prevention, wildlife rabies control, and canine rabies elimination, with renewed collaborative vigour

Can rabies be eradicated?

Rabies, an acute progressive encephalitis, is an ancient zoonosis. Its distribution encompasses all continents, except Antarctica. Agents consist of at least 11 species or genotypes of rhabdoviruses, in the Genus Lyssavirus. Susceptible natural hosts include all mammals. Primary reservoirs reside in the Orders Camivora and Chiroptera. A plethora of variants, maintained by a diversity of abundant hosts, presents a challenge to a strict concept of true eradication. Globally, the domestic dog remains the most significant species for viral transmission, responsible for millions of suspect human exposures and tens of thousands of fatalities. As such, this single major target provides an ideal opportunity for focused intervention programmes in humane disease prevention and control, driven by laboratory-based surveillance and guided via modern epidemiological insights. Historically, substantial technical progress throughout the 20th century led to the development of safe, affordable and efficacious animal and human vaccines, resulting in declining disease burdens in selected developed and developing countries. Regional and local disease resurgence occurs, due in part to a combination of political and economic instability, environmental perturbations, and shifting government priorities. Society must recall that despite the recent recognition of other important emerging infectious diseases, none exceed the case fatality rate of rabies. Given the clear relevance of rabies in public health, agriculture, and conservation biology, substantive international progress must continue towards enhanced public awareness, human rabies prevention, wildlife rabies control, and canine rabies elimination, with renewed collaborative vigour

Can rabies be eradicated?

Rabies, an acute progressive encephalitis, is an ancient zoonosis. Its distribution encompasses all continents, except Antarctica. Agents consist of at least 11 species or genotypes of rhabdoviruses, in the Genus Lyssavirus. Susceptible natural hosts include all mammals. Primary reservoirs reside in the Orders Camivora and Chiroptera. A plethora of variants, maintained by a diversity of abundant hosts, presents a challenge to a strict concept of true eradication. Globally, the domestic dog remains the most significant species for viral transmission, responsible for millions of suspect human exposures and tens of thousands of fatalities. As such, this single major target provides an ideal opportunity for focused intervention programmes in humane disease prevention and control, driven by laboratory-based surveillance and guided via modern epidemiological insights. Historically, substantial technical progress throughout the 20th century led to the development of safe, affordable and efficacious animal and human vaccines, resulting in declining disease burdens in selected developed and developing countries. Regional and local disease resurgence occurs, due in part to a combination of political and economic instability, environmental perturbations, and shifting government priorities. Society must recall that despite the recent recognition of other important emerging infectious diseases, none exceed the case fatality rate of rabies. Given the clear relevance of rabies in public health, agriculture, and conservation biology, substantive international progress must continue towards enhanced public awareness, human rabies prevention, wildlife rabies control, and canine rabies elimination, with renewed collaborative vigour

Ultra-structural and histochemical analysis of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) liver treated with fumonisin B1

The histopathological effects of fumonisin B1 (FB1) injected intraperitoneally (IP), was evaluated in catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Fishes were divided into four Groups. Groups II, III and IV were treated IP with FB1 injections of 1; 5 and 10 mg/kg bw/day, respectively, during 21 days. At the 7th, 14th and 21st day, fishes were sacrificed. The livers were hystologicaly analysed by the light and transmission electronic microscopy. Livers from the 7th day showed organelles alterations, particularly in the granular endoplasmatic reticle, mitochondria, nucleus and nucleolus mediated by FB1 doses. The occurrence of processes involved in the necrosis and apoptosis was detected. At the highest FB1 dose,the livers presented an intense response with an accentuate tissue disorganization, absence of cell limits and intense cytoplasm vacuolization. The image analysis showed the occurrence of necrosis in some areas, characterized by fully broken or swollen cells. The apoptosis was observed as the cytoplasm contraction and the chromatin formed masses concentrated in the edge of the nucleus. There was strong evidence that the numerous hepatocytes in the liver from the fishes under the toxic dose of FBs were selectively removed by the apoptosis process.<br>Os efeitos histopatológicos da fumonisina B1 (FB1) foram avaliados quando a toxina foi aplicada intraperitoneal (IP) em bagre (Ictalurus punctatus). Os peixes foram divididos em 4 Grupos, sendo que os Grupos II, III e IV foram tratados com FB1 em injeções IP nas concentrações de 1; 5 e 10 mg/kg p.c./dia, respectivamente, durante 21 dias. No 7º, 14ºe 21º dia de tratamento, amostras de peixe de cada Grupo foram sacrificadas. Os figados foram analisados histopatologicamente por microscopia de luz e de transmissão eletrônica. Desde o dia 7 de coleta, os fígados apresentaram alterações em diversas organelas, principalmente no retículo endoplasmático, citoplasma, núcleo e nucléolo mediadas pelas doses de FB1. A ocorrência de processos envolvidos em necrose e apoptose foi detectada. A níveis mais elevados, os fígados apresentaram resposta intensa para FB1, com acentuada desorganização dos tecidos, ausência de limites das células e intensa vacuolização do citoplasma. A análise por imagem revelou ocorrência de necrose em determinadas áreas, caracterizada pela presença de células totalmente quebradas ou edemaciadas. A apoptose foi observada pela contração do citoplasma e formação de massas de cromatina concentradas nas extremidades do núcleo. Há uma forte evidência de que numerosos hepatócitos no fígado do peixe sob doses tóxicas de FBs sejam seletivamente removidos pelo processo de apoptose