Investigação e intervenção das Vigilâncias Epidemiológica e Ambiental da Prefeitura do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil no caso de óbito por raiva humana em 2017

Abstract

The objective of this article is to describe the actions of health surveillance in the city of Recife, after the notification of a suspected case of human rabies. On 06/26/2017, a suspected case of rabies was reported in a 35-year-old woman, activist for the animal cause, with a history of aggression by a stray cat, not vaccinated on 04/26/2017. Virus research in saliva and hair follicle confirmed the patient's rabies virus infection. On 06/30/2017 the patient evolves to death. The antigenic variant AgV3, species specific for vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), was identified. Four contact persons were identified and referred for medical evaluation. Three of them required anti-rabies prophylaxis. Environmental Surveillance visited 81% of the properties in the focal area, vaccinated 1,182 dogs/cats. Other fixed vaccination posts were opened in the city and another 3,283 dogs/cats were vaccinated. Community mobilization actions and health education were initiated. The Environmental Surveillance promoted an awareness course for these activists of the animal cause. Training was carried out on urban and wild rabies for Agents of Environmental Health and Control of Endemic Disease. A special team was formed to capture, identify the species, manage the environment, and send samples of bats for examination. In Recife-PE, bats continue to be diagnosed with rabies, but without cases in dogs or cats or humans at the time of this writing. We conclude that wild rabies in an urban environment is a good example of the importance of linking sectors and knowledge into a One Health context to ensure a healthy environment.