Raiva em um cachorro vinagre (Speothos venaticus) na região Centro-Oeste do Brasil

Abstract

Rabies is a zoonotic viral disease, caused by a virus from the genus Lyssavirus family Rhabdoviridae. Transmission occurs through bites and scratches from domestic and wild mammals, causing fatal encephalomyelitis. The objective of this work is to report a case of rabies confirmed through direct immunofluorescence, in a bush dog (Speothos venaticus), where to date there are no reports of infection by the rabies virus in the species described. The free-ranging animal was found with signs of disorientation and was sent for clinical care at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá campus. During the physical examination, the animal presented apathy, myoclonus and head shaking. The animal died after 48 hours of hospitalization and in the post-mortem examination the morphological diagnosis was non-purulent, diffuse, acute and moderate meningoencephalitis with intranuclear eosinophilic bodies. After this, samples were sent for direct immunofluorescence testing for the rabies virus, the result of which was positive. Therefore, it is concluded that the species in question is sensitive to the rabies virus and that identifying the occurrence of this disease has zoonotic, epidemiological and ecological importance.