Cat infected by a variant of bat rabies virus in a 29-year disease-free urban area of southern Brazil.

INTRODUCTION After 29 years, rabies was detected in a cat in Curitiba, southern Brazil. METHODS The fluorescent antibody test (FAT) and mouse inoculation test (MIT) were performed on central nervous system (CNS) samples. RESULTS Direct immunofluorescence was negative, but the biological test was positive and rabies virus was characterized as variant 4 (from Tadarida brasiliensis). CONCLUSIONS Reappearance of rabies in domestic animals warns of sylvatic-aerial risk of infection and the necessity of monitoring bats in historically rabies-free areas.