Molecular epidemiology of rabies in Ukraine.

To investigate the circulation of rabies virus in Ukraine, 78 rabies virus isolates were acquired from 14 states in 2002 and 2008-2010 for characterization. Partial sequences of nucleoprotein (359 nt) and glycoprotein (344 nt) genes were compared with those from neighbouring countries. The analysis identified 39 unique nucleoprotein genes and two geographically distinct RV variants belonging to the cosmopolitan lineage. The Ukrainian samples were similar to the North-East European lineage (NEE) (n = 19) and Russian group C (n = 20). The group C viruses were mainly isolated in Eastern Ukraine, from 9 regions, and from two other regions in Western Ukraine, suggesting the presence of group C throughout the country. These group C viruses are intermixed in bordering regions along the Dnieper River with viruses of group NEE, which were mainly isolated in six regions in Western Ukraine. Both nucleoprotein and glycoprotein gene analyses suggested evidence for cross-border movements of rabies virus.

Experimental infection of foxes with European bat lyssaviruses type-1 and -2.

Experimental studies have been undertaken to assess the susceptibility of silver foxes to bat variants of rabies virus, namely European Bat Lyssaviruses (EBLVs). Both EBLV-1 and EBLV-2 have been isolated in European bats since 1954, in Eptesicus serotinus and Myotis species, respectively. Since 2000, the number of reported cases has increased largely due to the improvement of the surveillance of bat rabies virus throughout Europe. Although over >800 EBLVs cases have been reported in bats in Europe, EBLV-1 and -2 viruses are rarely reported to infect humans and terrestrial animals. The study presented here shows that the sensitivity of silver foxes is low when infected with EBLVs via the intramuscular route; in contrast all animals infected via intracranial inoculation succumbed to the experimental challenge. The mortality rate was 100% for both EBLV-1 (approximately 4.5 log) and EBLV-2 (approximately 3.0 log). This data suggests that the susceptibility of foxes to EBLV-1 and EBLV-2 is low and that the transmission (spillover) and adaptation of EBLVs from a bat to a fox may be theoretically possible but unlikely.