Published Date: 2011-03-12 19:00:06
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Rabies, vampire bat - Peru (05) (AM)
Archive Number: 20110312.0799

RABIES, VAMPIRE BAT - PERU (05): (AMAZONAS)
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Date: Wed 9 Mar 2011
Source: El Comercio [in Spanish, trans. Mod.TY, edited]
<http://elcomercio.pe/peru/724865/noticia-sumarian-muertos-rabia-silvestre-amazonas>


In Amazonas, an Awajun native has died with symptoms of the disease
[rabies]. The total of deaths due to sylvatic rabies is now 9. The 23
year old indigenous woman, who lived in the Yupicusa community in the
Imaza region, died as a probable rabies case. With this death, the
number of [rabies] deaths is raised to 9, including children and
adults, due to the bite of vampire bats that are attacking Awajun and
Wampis indigenous people living between Yupicusa and San Ramon,
according to Dr Orlando Caceres, director of the Bagua Health
Network.

According to the victim's husband, their 2 year old daughter also
died of sylvatic rabies on 2 Feb [2011]. His wife had been bitten by
bats on the right arm. Physicians attended her in Yupicusa, later her
condition worsened and she died of the same symptoms that the daughter
had.

The deceased received anti-rabies vaccine, and after being under
observation she recovered for 2 weeks. But after that, she presented
with symptoms of probable sylvatic rabies [infection] with fever,
general malaise, body rigidity, and headache.

It is assumed that more children and adults have been bitten by bats,
but the indigenous people prefer to go to witches [traditional
healers] and are resistant to being vaccinated.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-ESP
<promed-esp@promedmail.org>

[Health services are very limited in their efforts and resources to
be able to address this outbreak, which has killed 9 people. The
inaccessibility of the area and the limited resources mentioned in
other reports also play their part. The strategy for intervention (in
this case immunization and other preventive measures) must include the
participation of other disciplines including anthropologists and
social scientists. A disciplinary focus well delivered, must have a
good approach to them and incorporate them into our "civilization",
but respect their beliefs and attitudes. The other part of the problem
is that the government and/or its institutions -- as with [political]s
candidates -- only pay attention in pre-electoral periods. - Mod.JG

The vampire bat transmitted rabies outbreak has continued to smolder
in this area since February 2011. Previous reports suggested that only
children were involved. Now it is clear that adults have been affected
as well. Given the reluctance for these indigenous people to seek
medical attention and the remoteness of the area, one wonders if there
is significant underreporting of cases.

Rabies virus transmission was most likely due to the bite of the most
common vampire bat, _Desmodus rotundus_. An image can be accessed at
<http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/WebImg/335/1208760244-t.jpg>.

A map showing the location of Bagua province can be located at
<http://www.maplandia.com/peru/amazonas/bagua/>. A map showing the
location of the Amazonas region in northern Peru can be accessed at
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/peru.pdf>. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Peru can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/0utQ>. - Mod.TY]

See Also

Rabies, vampire bat - Peru (04): (AM) 20110225.0621
Rabies, vampire bat - Peru (03): (AM) 20110221.0570
Rabies, vampire bat - Peru (02): (AM) corr. 20110219.0551
Rabies, vampire bat - Peru (02): (AM) 20110219.0550
Rabies, vampire bat, human - Peru (AM) 20110218.0534
2010
---
Rabies, vampire bat, human - Peru (05): bat vaccine, RFI
20100925.3463
Rabies, vampire bat, human - Peru (04): (AM) 20100924.3459
Rabies - PAHO alert: Peru (AM), Colombia (SR) 20100831.3098
Rabies, vampire bat, human - Peru (03): (AM) 20100814.2803
Rabies, vampire bat, human - Peru (02): (AM) susp 20100810.2743
Rabies, human, vampire bats - Peru: (CQ), susp. 20100107.0069
.................................................jg/ty/mj/sh
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