[The experimental infection of bats with lyssavirus serotypes 1 and 4]

The results of intramuscular inoculation of 111 bats (Myotis daubentoni, Myotis brandtii) with three strains of Lyssaviruses--Yuli, Stade, and 1150 are presented. Bats were found to have low susceptibility, especially to strains of serotype 4. After infection with serotype 4 viruses, fewer bats died but within shorter periods than after infection with serotype 1. After inoculation with strain 1150, 60% of bats yielded virus, whereas only 9-24% did after inoculation with type 4 strains. The survival time after inoculation was 32.2 and 19.0 days, respectively. Manifestations of the disease, virus distribution in viscera, and the results of examinations of specimens from bats by express methods are described.