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Authorities are monitoring the adapted rabies virus during a record year for rabies cases. In response to a recent outbreak of an adapted bat rabies viral variant in terrestrial mammals, skunks in Arizona were trapped, vaccinated, and released. Foxes and skunks in northern Arizona are spreading an adapted version of a rabies virus variant associated with bats. The state is also enduring a 2nd consecutive record year for rabies cases in animals.
Craig Levy, an epidemiologist and the manager of the vectorborne disease program for the Arizona Department of Health Services, said southern Arizona has historically had reservoirs of the gray fox rabies strain and the south-central skunk variant, and the state has multiple bat virus variants. But in 2001, the state had an unusual outbreak of rabies among skunks in Flagstaff, which is in northern Arizona.
"We never saw rabid skunks that far north in Arizona," Levy said. "So we knew something was out of whack, and we had those skunks variant-typed to find out what type of virus we were talking about. And it turns out that the skunks were transmitting big brown bat variant, but it was going skunk to skunk to skunk."
A scientific report in the August 2006 issue of Emerging Infectious
Diseases, "Bat-associated rabies virus in skunks," states that 19 skunks in Flagstaff were confirmed to be infected with a bat-associated rabies virus variant in 2001. "This is the largest recorded cluster of bat RABVV (rabies virus variant) infection in terrestrial mammals," the report states. "Investigation of this novel outbreak showed evolution in action with the emergence of an RABVV that successfully adapted from Chiroptera to Carnivora." The report also states the variant reappeared in 5 skunks and a fox in 2004. By late 2008, foxes were transmitting the variant to other foxes, Levy said.
"We may have some evolution occurring right before our eyes as we see a different virus variant circulating very efficiently within the wrong host," Levy said.
Bergman said it is concerning that terrestrial wildlife is transmitting rabies near Flagstaff for the 1st time in 40 years.
...But the outbreak of a bat rabies variant among terrestrial mammals in Arizona is unusual.
As people create comfortable human habitats in the desert, wildlife thrives in the same areas, Dr Rupprecht said. Skunks are grassland animals that do not typically live in high densities in deserts, he said, but construction of golf courses near Flagstaff gave them room to thrive, and high population density likely is related to the adaptation of the rabies virus variant associated with brown bats.
The adapted variant is now demonstrating how viruses adapt and emerge, Dr Rupprecht said. And there is a risk that, if it is truly adapted to fox species, it could spread into the Navajo Nation and cause an outbreak in unvaccinated dogs.
Also discusses: Navajo Nation borders the outbreak zone and Outbreak centered in Flagstaff
Full report: http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?..._ID:1000,79980
[Snips]
Authorities are monitoring the adapted rabies virus during a record year for rabies cases. In response to a recent outbreak of an adapted bat rabies viral variant in terrestrial mammals, skunks in Arizona were trapped, vaccinated, and released. Foxes and skunks in northern Arizona are spreading an adapted version of a rabies virus variant associated with bats. The state is also enduring a 2nd consecutive record year for rabies cases in animals.
Craig Levy, an epidemiologist and the manager of the vectorborne disease program for the Arizona Department of Health Services, said southern Arizona has historically had reservoirs of the gray fox rabies strain and the south-central skunk variant, and the state has multiple bat virus variants. But in 2001, the state had an unusual outbreak of rabies among skunks in Flagstaff, which is in northern Arizona.
"We never saw rabid skunks that far north in Arizona," Levy said. "So we knew something was out of whack, and we had those skunks variant-typed to find out what type of virus we were talking about. And it turns out that the skunks were transmitting big brown bat variant, but it was going skunk to skunk to skunk."
A scientific report in the August 2006 issue of Emerging Infectious
Diseases, "Bat-associated rabies virus in skunks," states that 19 skunks in Flagstaff were confirmed to be infected with a bat-associated rabies virus variant in 2001. "This is the largest recorded cluster of bat RABVV (rabies virus variant) infection in terrestrial mammals," the report states. "Investigation of this novel outbreak showed evolution in action with the emergence of an RABVV that successfully adapted from Chiroptera to Carnivora." The report also states the variant reappeared in 5 skunks and a fox in 2004. By late 2008, foxes were transmitting the variant to other foxes, Levy said.
"We may have some evolution occurring right before our eyes as we see a different virus variant circulating very efficiently within the wrong host," Levy said.
Bergman said it is concerning that terrestrial wildlife is transmitting rabies near Flagstaff for the 1st time in 40 years.
...But the outbreak of a bat rabies variant among terrestrial mammals in Arizona is unusual.
As people create comfortable human habitats in the desert, wildlife thrives in the same areas, Dr Rupprecht said. Skunks are grassland animals that do not typically live in high densities in deserts, he said, but construction of golf courses near Flagstaff gave them room to thrive, and high population density likely is related to the adaptation of the rabies virus variant associated with brown bats.
The adapted variant is now demonstrating how viruses adapt and emerge, Dr Rupprecht said. And there is a risk that, if it is truly adapted to fox species, it could spread into the Navajo Nation and cause an outbreak in unvaccinated dogs.
Also discusses: Navajo Nation borders the outbreak zone and Outbreak centered in Flagstaff
Full report: http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?..._ID:1000,79980