This is the first documented case of rabies in the territory in sixteen years. A patient admitted to Cayenne hospital died from the rabies virus in recent weeks, the ARS (regional health agency) of Guyana said Thursday in a press release.
“Three people from the Eau Claire gold mining site were admitted to intensive care at Cayenne hospital between February 17 and March 1, and died within ten days of their admission,” explains the ARS. The latest results of biological analyzes revealed the presence of the rabies virus in samples from one patient at the beginning of the week, while analyzes are underway for the two other patients. » The exact date of death has not been communicated.
Possible that “an entire colony of bats was infected”
Until now, the only documented case of rabies in Guyana dates back to 2008, recalled Anne Lavergne, head of the virus/host interactions laboratory at the Pasteur Institute. “The main reservoir of rabies in South America is vampire bats Desmodus rotundus “, she explained. This virus is lethal to all species, including humans, except for these bats.
How the victim was contaminated is not yet known, Anne Lavergne said, adding that it is possible that “an entire colony of bats was infected over a short period of time, leading to a higher probability of encounters.” on a localized human population.
While recalling “the rarity of human-to-human transmission of rabies”, the Anti-Rabies Treatment Center (CTAR) is currently carrying out “contact tracing and individual assessment of the risk of exposure of healthcare or laboratory professionals concerned by this alert. »
A public health mission will go to the Eau Claire site, which was illegal, to assess the situation, according to the prefecture and the ARS.