Identificação das espécies de morcegos, áreas de risco de transmissão da raiva silvestre e ações de educação em saúde em Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil: 2018 a 2020

Abstract

Rabies is a zoonotic virus characterized by an acute progressive encephalitis and lethality of approximately 100%. It occurs in more than 150 countries and territories, causing more than 60.000 deaths a year. The largest number of human deaths (95%) occurs in the rural areas of Asia and Africa. Transmission usually occurs through the bite or deep scratch of an infected mammal, being dogs on these continents still responsible for up to 99% of human cases. In the Americas, transmission by bats has been increasing, while that by dogs has been decreasing. The objective was to identify the species of captured bats, verify the areas at risk of transmission of wild rabies and carry out Permanent Health Education actions in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, from 2018 to 2021. The bat capture sites were selected after drawing up a sample design using socio-environmental variables of the households in the census tracts, which resulted in nine urban groups and 18 collection points. The captures were carried out with mist nets, from 2018 to 2021. Of the 208 bats captured, 17 species, 14 genera, four families and seven types of diets were identified, predominantly frugivorous. Two kernel density maps were made with QGISs software (2021), with the georeferencing of the addresses of the rabid bats, from 2018 to 2021, by the Central Laboratory of Public Health of Bahia, and another with addresses of urban breeding sites or colonies of animals (animals of economic interest, dogs, and cats), coming from the zoo sanitary inspections of the Environmental Surveillance and Zoonosis Control Management of the Recife City Hall. The heat maps indicated three neighborhoods with 40% more chances of the appearance of rabid bats and hot areas in four neighborhoods for the presence of breeding farms. Regarding Health Education activities, seven professionals were trained, who actively participated in the capture of 199 bats, as well as the identification of nine bats received by Environmental Surveillance and Zoonosis Control Management of the Recife City. In total, four courses were given with the participation of approximately 1.000 participants. Finally, a proposal for a roadmap for the surveillance of wild rabies in urban areas was prepared and a Case Report of the investigation and intervention actions of the Animal Rabies Surveillance of Recife in the case of human rabies in 2017 was described. These results are useful in the implementation of public policies helping to direct surveillance, prevention, and control of rabies in Recife, Pernambuco, from the perspective of One Health.