Frente al desafío que la rabia representa para la industria pecuaria y la salud pública en América Latina, el presente artículo tiene como objetivo hacer una revisión de literatura amplia y crítica sobre la epidemiología de la rabia transmitida por murciélagos en Brasil. El tema es abordado inicialmente desde una perspectiva histórica hasta la caracterización molecular de aislamientos del virus, para finalmente contrastar con la situación de otros países de las Américas. La información referente a Brasil es presentada de manera separada debido a la gran abundancia de especies de murciélagos de diversos hábitos alimenticios, implicadas en la transmisión del virus de la rabia y las complejas relaciones entre los ciclos epidemiológicos revelados por estudios de tipificación antigénica y análisis filogenético, lo cual ha permitido reconocer con más nitidez, la importancia de los quirópteros como reservorios y transmisores de esta enfermedad. Este nuevo escenario epidemiológico exige reexaminar las medidas de control aplicadas hasta el momento, desde un abordaje multidisciplinar, así como cooperación intersectorial y participación por parte de la comunidad.

Considering that rabies represents a challenge for the livestock industry and public health in Latin America, this article is intended to do a comprehensive and critical literature review on the epidemiology of rabies transmitted by bats in Brazil. The subject is addressed from a historical perspective to molecular characterization of rabies virus isolates and finally making a contrast with other countries of the Americas. Information concerning Brazil is presented separately because of the abundance of bats species with different feeding habits, involved in the transmission of rabies virus and the complex relationships between epidemiological cycles in this country, which have been disclosed by antigenic typing and phylogenetic analysis. This has allowed to recognize more clearly the importance of bats as reservoirs and transmitters of this disease. This new epidemiological scenario requires reappraising current control measures, using a multidisciplinary approach, intersectoral cooperation and community participation.

In Brazil, bats have been assigned an increasing importance in public health as they are important rabies reservoirs. Phylogenetic studies have shown that rabies virus (RABV) strains from frugivorous bats Artibeus spp. are closely associated to those from the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus, but little is known about the molecular diversity of RABV in Artibeus spp. The N and G genes of RABV isolated from Artibeus spp. and cattle infected by D. rotundus were sequenced, and phylogenetic trees were constructed. The N gene nucleotides tree showed three clusters: one for D. rotundus and two for Artibeus spp. Regarding putative N amino acid-trees, two clusters were formed, one for D. rotundus and another for Artibeus spp. RABV G gene phylogeny supported the distinction between D. rotundus and Artibeus spp. strains. These results show the intricate host relationship of RABV's evolutionary history, and are invaluable for the determination of RABV infection sources.