Optimizing human rabies prevention in Brazil through spatial prioritization and a One Health approach.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Public Health
• Disease Ecology
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Habitat fragmentation from agriculture and urbanization impacts wildlife, affecting pathogen reservoir dynamics and zoonotic disease risk.
• Common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) thrive in Neotropical fragmented landscapes, utilizing cattle as a food source, which facilitates their population growth and geographic spread.
• Desmodus rotundus is a primary reservoir for the rabies virus, making its distribution critical for understanding and managing rabies transmission risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze priority areas for rabies prevention in Brazil by assessing vulnerability, exposure, and hazard indicators.
• To identify municipalities at high risk for rabies based on Desmodus rotundus distribution, human and animal rabies cases, and environmental/socioeconomic factors.
• To support targeted One Health interventions and contribute to the 2030 rabies elimination goals in Brazil.

Main Methods:

• Spatial prioritization methods were employed across Brazil's 5,570 municipalities.
• Analysis incorporated indicators such as the potential distribution of Desmodus rotundus, historical human and animal (dogs and cats) rabies cases, and relevant environmental and socioeconomic data.
• Municipalities were ranked to pinpoint priority areas for rabies prevention and control strategies.

Main Results:

• From 2001 to 2024, an average of six human rabies cases occurred annually across 1.45% of municipalities (N=81).
• Rabies cases in cats and dogs (N=240) were reported in 2.19% of municipalities (N=122) and did not overlap geographically with human cases.
• Priority areas for intervention included Ouricuri (Pernambuco), Viseu (Pará), and several municipalities in Maranhão, even those with no previously reported cases.

Conclusions:

• The study identifies key municipalities in Brazil with high susceptibility to rabies risk, based on integrated vulnerability, exposure, and hazard assessments.
• Findings provide a data-driven foundation for implementing targeted One Health strategies to mitigate rabies transmission.
• Prioritization of specific areas supports national efforts towards achieving the 2030 goal of rabies elimination.