The Role of Skunks in the Epidemiology of Rabies in the State of Yucatan from 2000 to 2022: Current Perspectives and Future Research Directions
In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) bestowed upon Mexico the status of a country free from canine-transmitted human rabies; however, the lingering public health challenge in the nation continues to be the sylvatic cycle of rabies. In Mexico, s...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/262 |
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| Summary: | In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) bestowed upon Mexico the status of a country free from canine-transmitted human rabies; however, the lingering public health challenge in the nation continues to be the sylvatic cycle of rabies. In Mexico, skunks play a significant role as reservoirs for four antigenic variants of the rabies virus. Nonetheless, up to this point, the specific skunk species involved in this cycle had not been accurately established. This study (2002–2022) aims to identify the taxonomy of skunk specimens diagnosed as rabies-positive in the state of Yucatan, in order to determine the species that serves as the reservoir for the Yucatan sylvatic lineage of rabies. This was achieved through the sequencing of an approximately 680 bp fragment of the mitochondrial gene <i>cytochrome B</i>. All samples belong to the species <i>Spilogale angustifrons yucatanensis</i>. This discovery offers valuable information for understanding and managing the wildlife rabies cycle in Mexico. It also contributes to an improved understanding of the taxonomy within the genus <i>Spilogale.</i> |
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| ISSN: | 2076-2607 |