The first cases of rabies in capybaras (a mammal in the guinea pig family) on the coast of São Paulo raise concerns about virus monitoring. The variant detected in Ilha Anchieta was the same one carried by common vampire bats, which probably fed on the rodents' blood at a time of habitat alteration.
Three capybaras were found dead on Ilha Anchieta, in the municipality of Ubatuba (São Paulo state), between December 2019 and January 2020. The cases occurred shortly after the works carried out on the ruins on that island in 2019, when the roof of a building was renovated and the bats temporarily lost their shelters.
Capybaras:
Petting any mammals while travelling is not a good idea, even if they are cute! Do not feed them! Refrain from touching wild or unfamiliar or dead animals, see factsheet rabies.
Vaccination against rabies (preexposure vaccination) is highly recommended for:
The shortened vaccination schedule can be proposed to most travellers: 2 doses given at least 7 days apart before departure. A single lifetime booster dose (3rd dose) is recommended after one year or later when further travelling to rabies endemic countries is undertaken. If you have an immune deficiency, please consult your doctor, as different vaccination intervals apply to you.
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