Rabies virus and antibody in bats in Grenada and Trinidad

ABSTRACT

Rabies virus was detected by flourescent-antibody and mouse inoculation tests in the brain of one bat, Artibeus jamaicensis, collected at La Tante, Grenada on 19 June 1974. No rabies virus was found in the brains and /or salivary glands of 411 other Grenadian bats of 6 species tested, including 56 A. jamaicensis. Rabies neutralizing antibody was detected by the rapid flouorescent focus inhibition test (REFIT) in 27 of 353 Grenadian bats. positives occurred in each of the 6 species sampled, with 40.5 percent prevalence in A. jamaicensis. In 11 of 86 Trinidadian bats of 4 species known to carry rabies, positive sera occurred only in A. jamaicenses (18.6 percent) and A. lituratus (8.1 percent). The potential use of the RFFit in determining rabies activity is discussed.(AU)