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: Paola Puebla-Rodríguez, Octavio Patricio García-González, Rocío Sánchez-Sánchez, Mauricio Díaz-Sánchez, Juan Carlos Del Mazo, Isaías Sauri-González, Adriana Alonzo-Góngora, Gabriel García-Rodríguez, Irma López-Martínez, Nidia Aréchiga-Ceballos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/262
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author Paola Puebla-Rodríguez
Octavio Patricio García-González
Rocío Sánchez-Sánchez
Mauricio Díaz-Sánchez
Juan Carlos Del Mazo
Isaías Sauri-González
Adriana Alonzo-Góngora
Gabriel García-Rodríguez
Irma López-Martínez
Nidia Aréchiga-Ceballos
author_facet Paola Puebla-Rodríguez
Octavio Patricio García-González
Rocío Sánchez-Sánchez
Mauricio Díaz-Sánchez
Juan Carlos Del Mazo
Isaías Sauri-González
Adriana Alonzo-Góngora
Gabriel García-Rodríguez
Irma López-Martínez
Nidia Aréchiga-Ceballos
author_sort Paola Puebla-Rodríguez
collection DOAJ
description 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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spelling doaj-art-c7c141c9a4624d8780a5a6c2b727e9ba2025-08-20T03:12:19ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-01-0113226210.3390/microorganisms13020262The Role of Skunks in the Epidemiology of Rabies in the State of Yucatan from 2000 to 2022: Current Perspectives and Future Research DirectionsPaola Puebla-Rodríguez0Octavio Patricio García-González1Rocío Sánchez-Sánchez2Mauricio Díaz-Sánchez3Juan Carlos Del Mazo4Isaías Sauri-González5Adriana Alonzo-Góngora6Gabriel García-Rodríguez7Irma López-Martínez8Nidia Aréchiga-Ceballos9Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos, Dirección General de Epidemiología, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México 01480, MexicoInstituto Traslacional de Singularidad Genómica, Irapuato 36615, MexicoInstituto Traslacional de Singularidad Genómica, Irapuato 36615, MexicoInstituto Traslacional de Singularidad Genómica, Irapuato 36615, MexicoInstituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos, Dirección General de Epidemiología, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México 01480, MexicoLaboratorio Central Regional de Mérida, Comité Estatal para el Fomento y Protección Pecuaria del Estado de Yucatán S.C.P., Mérida 97130, MexicoLaboratorio Central Regional de Mérida, Comité Estatal para el Fomento y Protección Pecuaria del Estado de Yucatán S.C.P., Mérida 97130, MexicoDirección General de Epidemiología, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México 01480, MexicoInstituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos, Dirección General de Epidemiología, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México 01480, MexicoInstituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos, Dirección General de Epidemiología, Secretaría de Salud, Ciudad de México 01480, MexicoIn 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>https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/262<i>Spilogale yucatanensis</i><i>Cytochrome B</i>rabies virusreservoirs
spellingShingle Paola Puebla-Rodríguez
Octavio Patricio García-González
Rocío Sánchez-Sánchez
Mauricio Díaz-Sánchez
Juan Carlos Del Mazo
Isaías Sauri-González
Adriana Alonzo-Góngora
Gabriel García-Rodríguez
Irma López-Martínez
Nidia Aréchiga-Ceballos
The Role of Skunks in the Epidemiology of Rabies in the State of Yucatan from 2000 to 2022: Current Perspectives and Future Research Directions
Microorganisms
<i>Spilogale yucatanensis</i>
<i>Cytochrome B</i>
rabies virus
reservoirs
title The Role of Skunks in the Epidemiology of Rabies in the State of Yucatan from 2000 to 2022: Current Perspectives and Future Research Directions
title_full The Role of Skunks in the Epidemiology of Rabies in the State of Yucatan from 2000 to 2022: Current Perspectives and Future Research Directions
title_fullStr The Role of Skunks in the Epidemiology of Rabies in the State of Yucatan from 2000 to 2022: Current Perspectives and Future Research Directions
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Skunks in the Epidemiology of Rabies in the State of Yucatan from 2000 to 2022: Current Perspectives and Future Research Directions
title_short The Role of Skunks in the Epidemiology of Rabies in the State of Yucatan from 2000 to 2022: Current Perspectives and Future Research Directions
title_sort role of skunks in the epidemiology of rabies in the state of yucatan from 2000 to 2022 current perspectives and future research directions
topic <i>Spilogale yucatanensis</i>
<i>Cytochrome B</i>
rabies virus
reservoirs
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/262
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