Rabies virus monitoring in bat populations in Rondônia state, Brazil

The Jirau hydroelectric power plant built in Rondônia state has environmental impacts that could be relevant to rabies outbreaks.

Bat populations were monitored for rabies by fluorescent antibody testing and simplified fluorescent inhibition microtesting between 2010 and 2015.

All 1,183 bats tested negative for rabies. The prevalence of rabies antibodies was 17.5% in 1,049 bats.

The rabies antibody dosage was not reactive in samples collected before the environmental changes, and there was a progressive increase in subsequent collections that could indicate an increase in rabies virus circulation among bats and risk of a rabies outbreak.