Antigenic and genetic characterization of rabies virus isolates from Uruguay.
Abstract: After 25 years without any reported cases of rabies in Uruguay, the northern region of the country experienced an epizootic of bovine paralytic rabies in October 2007. The outbreak affected bovines and equines, and the main source of infection was the bat Desmodus rotundus, the only hematophagous species in the country. From October 2007 to July 2008, 42 bovine, 3 equine and 120 chiropteran samples were submitted to the National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for rabies testing. A total of 12 samples (7 bovine, 2 equine and 3 from D. rotundus) were positive by the fluorescent antibody test, and viruses were isolated by the mouse inoculation test. The objective of this study was to compare the antigenic and genetic characteristics of these isolates and three isolates from insectivorous bats from other regions. Antigenic typing using a panel of eight monoclonal antibodies identified all 12 viruses as variant 3 (AgV3), a variant associated with D. rotundus. Two isolates from insectivorous bats (Tadarida brasiliensis and Molossus sp.) were characterized as antigenic variant 4 (AgV4) while the third, from Myotis sp., could not be characterized using this panel as its reactivity pattern did not match that of any of the known antigenic variants. Partial N-gene sequences (nt 149-1420) of these isolates were aligned with homologous sequences derived from GenBank by the CLUSTAL/W method and used to build a neighbor-joining distance tree with the Kimura 2-parameter model. All 12 isolates were genetically grouped into the D. rotundus cluster as they shared 100% identity. In the phylogenetic analysis, the three isolates from insectivorous bats segregated into three clusters: one related to T. brasiliensis, one to Myotis sp. and the other to Lasiurus sp., although the isolate associated with the latter came from a Molossus sp. specimen. These results indicate that AgV3 was associated with the outbreak of bovine paralytic rabies in Uruguay. This is the first report of rabies virus having been detected in non-hematophagous bats in this country.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2013-01-11 PubMed ID: 23318595DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2012.12.013Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research article examines the genetic and antigenic characteristics of rabies viruses isolated from Uruguay, primarily from bats and livestock, in an aim to understand an unexpected outbreak of bovine paralytic rabies after 25 years of no reported cases.
Context and Objective of the Study
- Uruguay had not recorded any cases of rabies for 25 years until a sudden outbreak in October 2007, mainly affecting bovines (cattle) and equines (horses).
- The study’s primary objective was to understand this unexpected outbreak by examining the antigenic and genetic traits of rabies viruses isolated from the affected species.
Methodology
- Between October 2007 and July 2008, 42 bovines, 3 equines, and 120 chiropteran (bat) samples were sent to the National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for rabies testing.
- Out of these, 12 samples (seven from bovines, two from horses, and three from Desmodus rotundus bats) were found to be positive for rabies through the fluorescent antibody test, and the virus was successfully isolated using the mouse inoculation test.
Antigenic and Genetic Analysis
- The researchers compared the antigenic characteristics of these positive rabies virus samples with three isolates from insectivorous bats from other regions using a panel of eight monoclonal antibodies.
- All 12 viruses belonged to variant 3 (AgV3), associated with the Desmodus rotundus species of bats.
- Meanwhile, two isolates from insectivorous bats were typed as antigenic variant 4 (AgV4), and the third could not be typed using this method.
- The partial N-gene sequences of these isolates were aligned with analogous sequences from GenBank via the CLUSTAL/W method for a more detailed genetic comparison.
Findings and Significance
- The phylogenetic (evolutionary) analysis grouped all 12 isolates into the Desmodus rotundus cluster, reflecting a 100% identity match, suggesting that variant 3 (AgV3) of the rabies virus triggered the bovine paralytic rabies outbreak in Uruguay.
- The isolates from the insectivorous bats grouped into three separate clusters, each related to a different bat species.
- This is the first time that rabies viruses have been detected in non-blood-eating (non-hematophagous) bats in Uruguay, which is a significant finding in terms of understanding the spread and carriers of the disease in the region.
Cite This Article
APA
Guarino H, Castilho JG, Souto J, Oliveira Rde N, Carrieri ML, Kotait I.
(2013).
Antigenic and genetic characterization of rabies virus isolates from Uruguay.
Virus Res, 173(2), 415-420.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2012.12.013 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- National Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, M.C. Rubino, Ruta 8 km 17.500, Montevideo, Uruguay. hguarino@mgap.gub.uy
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
- Antibodies, Monoclonal / isolation & purification
- Antibodies, Viral / immunology
- Antibodies, Viral / isolation & purification
- Antigens, Viral / analysis
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / epidemiology
- Cattle Diseases / virology
- Chiroptera / virology
- Cluster Analysis
- Disease Outbreaks
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Mice
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Nucleocapsid Proteins / genetics
- Phylogeny
- Rabies / epidemiology
- Rabies / veterinary
- Rabies virus / classification
- Rabies virus / genetics
- Rabies virus / immunology
- Rabies virus / isolation & purification
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- Sequence Homology
- Serotyping
- Uruguay / epidemiology
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Queiroz LH, Campos ACA, Lopes MC, Cunha EMS, Albas A, de Carvalho C, Pedro WA, Silva EC, Lot MS, Inácio SV, Araújo DB, Cunha MP, Durigon EL, Góes LGB, Favoretto SR. Evolutionary Diversity of Bat Rabies Virus in São Paulo State, Brazil. Viruses 2025 Jul 30;17(8).
- Cai M, Liu H, Jiang F, Sun Y, Wang W, An Y, Zhang M, Li X, Liu D, Li Y, Yu Y, Huang W, Wang Y. Analysis of the evolution, infectivity and antigenicity of circulating rabies virus strains. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022 Dec;11(1):1474-1487.
- Moreira Marrero L, Botto Nuñez G, Frabasile S, Delfraro A. Alphavirus Identification in Neotropical Bats. Viruses 2022 Jan 28;14(2).
- León B, González SF, Solís LM, Ramírez-Cardoce M, Moreira-Soto A, Cordero-Solórzano JM, Hutter SE, González-Barrientos R, Rupprecht CE. Rabies in Costa Rica - Next Steps Towards Controlling Bat-Borne Rabies After its Elimination in Dogs. Yale J Biol Med 2021 Jun;94(2):311-329.
- Moreira Marrero L, Botto Nuñez G, Malta L, Delfraro A, Frabasile S. Ecological and Conservation Significance of Herpesvirus Infection in Neotropical Bats. Ecohealth 2021 Mar;18(1):123-133.
- Botto Nuñez G, Becker DJ, Lawrence RL, Plowright RK. Synergistic Effects of Grassland Fragmentation and Temperature on Bovine Rabies Emergence. Ecohealth 2020 Jun;17(2):203-216.
- Fernandes MES, Carnieli P Jr, Gregório ANF, Kawai JGC, Oliveira RN, Almeida LL, Rosa JCA, Ferreira JC, Traverso SD, Roehe PM, Batista HBCR. Phylogenetic analysis of rabies viruses isolated from cattle in southern Brazil. Virus Genes 2020 Apr;56(2):209-216.
- de Almeida GL, Cargnelutti JF, Ries AS, Ferreira JC, Rosa JCA, Batista HBCR, Flores EF, Weiblen R. Sequence analysis of nucleoprotein gene reveals the co-circulation of lineages and sublineages of rabies virus in herbivorous in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2020 Jun;51(2):837-846.
- Botto Nuñez G, Becker DJ, Plowright RK. The emergence of vampire bat rabies in Uruguay within a historical context. Epidemiol Infect 2019 Jan;147:e180.
- Nadin-Davis S, Alnabelseya N, Knowles MK. The phylogeography of Myotis bat-associated rabies viruses across Canada. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017 May;11(5):e0005541.
- de Thoisy B, Bourhy H, Delaval M, Pontier D, Dacheux L, Darcissac E, Donato D, Guidez A, Larrous F, Lavenir R, Salmier A, Lacoste V, Lavergne A. Bioecological Drivers of Rabies Virus Circulation in a Neotropical Bat Community. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016 Jan;10(1):e0004378.
- Escobar LE, Peterson AT, Favi M, Yung V, Medina-Vogel G. Bat-borne rabies in Latin America. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2015 Jan-Feb;57(1):63-72.
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