VIGILÂNCIA DA RAIVA URBANA EM CAMPO GRANDE-MS (2021-2023): ANÁLISE DESCRITIVA DO SERVIÇO E PERCEPÇÃO DA POPULAÇÃO

Abstract

Human rabies is a serious and fatal viral disease when not treated immediately after exposure. The rabies virus, belonging to the Lyssavirus genus, primarily affects the central nervous system of mammals, including humans. According to data from the State Department of Health (MS), rabies is a significant epidemiological concern, with transmission occurring mainly through bites or scratches from dogs, cats and bats, which are the main hosts of the virus. The disease is prevalent in more than 150 countries, causing approximately 55,000 deaths annually, with the majority of occurrences in Asia and Africa. In Brazil, between 2010 and 2023, 47 cases of human rabies were recorded, with bats being the main culprits. In Mato Grosso do Sul, a fatal case of rabies was recorded in Corumbá in 2015. Urbanization and the destruction of natural habitats lead bats to adapt to urban environments, increasing the risk of rabies transmission. This cross-sectional, descriptive-exploratory, quantitative and qualitative research aimed to analyze data from telephone calls to the Campo Grande Zoonosis Control Center (CCZ) regarding bat capture, between January 2021 and May 2023, carried out by Endemic Disease Control and Control Agents. The secondary data were collected through calls from the population to the CCZ to collect bats. The primary data were collected through questionnaires: Population that contacted the CCZ (24 questions), and the CCZ Endemic Disease Control and Control Agents (16 questions). The data were collected from the "Bat Collection" (RM) forms, completed by the Endemic Disease Control and Control Agents. A total of 1,150 occurrences were confirmed, of which 451 were in 2021, 465 in 2022, and 234 in the first five months of 2023. Information was collected on the location, frequency, family of bats, description of age (baby, juvenile, and adult), and rabies virus positivity. The analysis revealed an increase in the demand for CCZ interventions, possibly due to the population's greater knowledge and access to information about bats and the health risks they pose. The survey involved 1,055 captured bats, of which 952 belonged to the Molossidae family, 53 to the Vespertilionidae family, and 47 to the Phyllostomidae family. Eleven bats tested positive for the rabies virus, representing a positivity rate of 1.0%, slightly higher than expected. The research highlights the importance of rabies surveillance in bats in Campo Grande - MS, and the crucial role of the CCZ in capturing and analyzing them. The increase in demand for the CCZ reflects the population's greater awareness, indicating the need to maintain and intensify education and prevention actions. The rate of bats testing positive for rabies (1.0%) reinforces the need for control measures, such as vaccinating domestic animals and investigating suspected cases, to prevent human rabies in the city.