Epidemiological description of rabies reservoir in bats in the Metropolitan Region: Chile. 2000-2009

Abstract

In Chile, in 1985 rabies was detected in insectivorous bats. Since then the epidemiological surveillance activities was extended to these species and the epidemiological pattern was characterized as endemic in bats. In this study we analyzed positive rabies cases in the Metropolitan Region between 2000 and 2009. We identified 325 cases of rabies in 11.472 analyzed samples. We determined an increase of positivity cases in bats between the years of the study. Places with the highest number of positives cases were Las Condes, Santiago, Providencia, Puente Alto and Ñuñoa. In 147 cases we identify the circumstances in which the bat was found: 89 inside, 45 outside the building and 13 in public spaces. In 39 cases there was contact with humans or animals. These results reinforce the relevance of educating the population against the contact with bats and allow health authorities to take early surveillance and control measures.