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Submitted by Carlos Augusto Rolim da Silva Junior (carlos_jrolim@hotmail.com) on 2016-01-26T17:05:49Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1550438 bytes, checksum: e0ea98f86ec678420aa51ffdf6a66d43 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T17:05:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1550438 bytes, checksum: e0ea98f86ec678420aa51ffdf6a66d43 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-11-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Chiroptera is the second largest order of mammals, being the only representatives with the ability of flight within this class, hibernate, long live, inhabit every continent except the poles and have diverse eating habits. The populations have a dynamic behavior that changes continuously in time. Thus, the characterization of the population is of great importance for the understanding of the ecological stability, allowing for better understanding of the relationship between the species and habitat. A tool that can be used to infer about population structure is the Body Condition Index, in which the main purpose is to separate the aspects of body mass related to the size and structural aspects which reflect fat and other components of energy reserve an individual to generate information that can assist it in the management, monitoring and knowledge of the species. Already activity patterns present character determinant for the survival and reproduction of a species, that associated with eating habits, can be of great importance to understand how bats manage their resources. Thus, this study aimed to know the population structure and activity pattern of Glossophaga soricina in order to add new information and complement existing in other regions of the country. / Chiroptera é a segunda maior ordem de mamíferos, sendo os únicos representantes com a capacidade de voo dentro desta classe, hibernam, longíveros, habitam todos os continentes, exceto os pólos e possuem diversidade de hábitos alimentares. As populações apresentam um comportamento dinâmico, que se modifica de forma continua no tempo. Assim a caracterização das populações é de grande importância para a compreensão da sua estabilidade ecológica, possibilitando o entendimento da relação entre a espécie e o habitat. Uma ferramenta que pode ser utilizada para inferir sobre a estrutura das populações é o Índice de Condição Corporal, este tem por principal finalidade separar os aspectos da massa corporal relacionados ao tamanho estrutural e os aspectos que refletem a gordura e outros componentes da reserva de energia de um indivíduo para gerar informações que possam auxiliar em trabalhos de gestão, monitoramento e conhecimento das espécies. Já os padrões de atividade apresentam caráter determinante para a sobrevivência e reprodução de uma espécie, isso associado a hábitos alimentares, pode ser de grande relevância para entender como morcegos gerenciam seus recursos. Dessa forma, objetivou-se conhecer a estrutura populacional e padrão de atividade de Glossophaga soricina, a fim de adicionar novas informações e complementar as existentes para outras regiões do país.

Utilization of biotechnological agents for reduction ammonia emission in agriculture is one of the ways how to lower emissions of greenhouse gases and ammonia gas and simultaneously construct better living environment for stabled animals. Experiment acknowledged its positive influence to decrease of ammonia emissions. During the first three applications occurred significant decrease, in average by 40 % in comparison with the values from the previous week. The second week of application occured the decrease also significantly by 23 % and the third week is the difference smaller probably due to the already advanced micro-life supported by the regular spray irrigation. These lowered values are maintained during the following weeks with only low bidirectional deviations of 10 %. Average reduction of the ammonium emissions in the observed years was 50, 89 % on the sheep thick bedding. By the horses bedding was the reduction of ammonium emissions by 41,84 % in the first day and 28,74 % in the second day. The sheep bedding was the subject of decomposition during the observed period, while the horses bedding was replaced as a whole at longest in 5 days. The bedding had significantly better consistency and was evenly and better decomposed after the application of the product. There were noticed lower emissions of the odoriferous gases during the clearing of the bedding in the stable. The influence of the product on the improvement of the sheep toes health was also confirmed as well as its deodorant effects. The sheep toes diseases were eradicated to the level of 77, 5 % of healthy animals. Due to the lowered frequency of disease occurrence were lowered the costs for medication by 46 %. Regarding these results it is possible to state, that applications the Amalgerol product leads to the improvement of the living environment of the bred animals and herewith the positive influence on the breed economy.

Submitted by Natalia de Souza Gonçalves (natalia.goncalves@ufpe.br) on 2016-09-15T14:49:54Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) NIVALDO BERNARDO DE LIMA JUNIOR_PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM SAÚDE HUMANA E MEIO AMBIENTE_CENTRO ACADÊMICO DE VITÓRIA_2016.pdf: 3049237 bytes, checksum: 3c055666b0821330db98ccf2d17c644b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-15T14:49:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) NIVALDO BERNARDO DE LIMA JUNIOR_PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM SAÚDE HUMANA E MEIO AMBIENTE_CENTRO ACADÊMICO DE VITÓRIA_2016.pdf: 3049237 bytes, checksum: 3c055666b0821330db98ccf2d17c644b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-24 / CAPES / Dermanura cinerea é um morcego frugívoro, cujas informações acerca da sua biologia reprodutiva ainda permanecem pouco conhecidas em diferentes biomas do Brasil, sobretudo quando se considera as análises morfométricas e histológicas de suas gônadas. O objetivo desse trabalho foi analisar por meio do estágio reprodutivo, histologia e morfometria o testículo, epidídimo e ovário de D. cinerea, ao longo do ciclo reprodutivo anual, em um fragmento preservado de Mata Atlântica (Reserva Biológica de Saltinho) situado no estado de Pernambuco, Nordeste do Brasil. Fêmeas e machos adultos foram capturados por meio de redes de neblina e as coletas ocorreram mensalmente, durante duas noites consecutivas, ao longo de dezoito meses. Os dados meteorológicos foram agrupados em seis períodos de três meses cada: período I (junho – agosto/2014); período II (setembro – novembro/2014); período III (dezembro/2014 – fevereiro/2015); período IV (março – maio/2015); período V (junho – agosto/2015) e período VI (setembro – novembro/2015). Esse agrupamento foi realizado com base no que se tem descrito para o período seco (setembro - fevereiro) e período chuvoso (março - agosto) nessa área de estudo. Entretanto, alguns meses apresentaram médias de precipitação atípicas entre os períodos, enquanto a temperatura teve pouca variação (24,0 a 27,4). Foram capturados um total de 23 machos e 25 fêmeas. Os testículos dos machos foram classificados de acordo com a morfologia externa em: machos com testículos descendentes e não descendentes. Já as fêmeas foram classificadas em: inativas, grávidas, lactantes e pós-lactantes. Os espécimes utilizados nas análises histomofométricas dos órgãos foram eutanasiados. Nos machos foram selecionados 18 espécimes, ao passo que nas fêmeas foram selecionadas 10 inativas. Os órgãos foram coletados, fixados e processados seguindo a técnica histológica de rotina. As lâminas histológicas produzidas foram coradas por Hematoxilina – Eosina e analisadas em microscópio óptico. Morfometricamente, nos testículos, foram realizadas mensurações da área de ocupação do compartimento tubular e intertubular, número de células de Leydig, de Sertoli, de espermatócitos e de espermátides alongadas. No epidídimo foi mensurada a altura do epitélio, o diâmetro tubular, diâmetro do lúmen e diâmetro do epitélio das regiões do segmento inicial, cabeça, corpo e cauda. No ovário foi mensurada as áreas total e de ocupação dos folículos em diferentes estágios de maturação, incluindo a quantificação destes folículos e corpo lúteo. Esses dados foram submetidos ao teste t de Student. De acordo com os resultados, a atividade testicular de D. cinerea não apresenta um padrão reprodutivo definido; o epidídimo possui maior sensibilidade às variações sazonais na região caudal e as fêmeas apresentam dois picos reprodutivos de acordo com os períodos considerados em área de Mata Atlântica do estado de Pernambuco. / Dermanura cinerea is a fruit bat, whose information about their reproductive biology are still little known in different biomes of Brazil, especially when considering the morphological and histological analyzes of their gonads. The aim of this study was to analyze through the reproductive stage, histology and morphometry the testis, epididymis and ovary of D. cinerea, during the annual reproductive cycle in a fragment preserved Atlantic Forest (Biological Reserve Saltinho) located in the state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Adult females and males were captured through nets and the collections were monthly during two consecutive nights along eighteen months. Meteorological data were grouped into six periods of three months each: period I (June - August / 2014); period II (September - November / 2014); period III (December / 2014 - February / 2015); period IV (March - May / 2015); period V (June - August / 2015) and period VI (September - November / 2015). This grouping was based on what has been described for the dry season (September - February) and rainy season (March - August) in this study area. However, a few months have mean atypical precipitation between the periods while the temperature had little variation (24.0 to 27.4). A total of 23 males and 25 females were captured. The testes of males were classified according to the external morphology: males with descendant testes and not descendant. The females were classified as inactive, pregnant, lactating and post-lactating. Specimens used in histomorphometric analysis of the organs were euthanized. In males were selected 18 specimens, while females were selected in 10 inactive. The bodies were collected, fixed and processed according to routine histological technique. The produced histological slides were stained with hematoxylin - eosin and analyzed by light microscopy. Morphometrically in the testes were performed measurement of the occupation area tubular compartment and Intertubular, number of Leydig cells, Sertoli cells, spermatocytes and spermatids elongated. In the epididymis was measured the height of the epithelium, the tubular diameter, lumen diameter and diameter epithelial of the regions of the initial segment, caput,corpus and cauda. Ovary was measured and the total areas of occupation of follicles at different stages of maturation, including quantification of these follicles and corpus luteum. These data were submitted to Student's t test. According to the results, testicular activity D. cinerea does not present a defined reproduction pattern; the epididymis is more sensitive to seasonal variations in the flow region and the females have two reproductive peaks according to the periods considered in Atlantic Forest area of the state of Pernambuco.

Morcegos vêm recebendo crescente importância em Saúde Pública, pois são os principais reservatórios para a raiva em diversas partes do mundo. Estudos filogenéticos baseados no gene N demonstraram que os vírus da raiva (RABV) encontrados em morcegos frugívoros Artibeus spp. são próximos àqueles associados ao morcego hematófago Desmodus rotundus, mas pouco se conhece sobre a diversidade genética do RABV nestes morcegos. Este estudo teve como objetivos avaliar a filogenia de linhagens do RABV variante três (AgV3) relacionadas a morcegos Artibeus spp. e D. rotundus, com base em sequências do gene N e do gene G, e a possibilidade de distinção entre isolados de vírus da raiva detectadas em Artibeus spp. e D. rotundus para a epidemiologia molecular da raiva. Vinte amostras do RABV isoladas de Artibeus spp. e 15 obtidas de bovinos e relacionadas ao D. rotundus, todos do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, foram submetidas a RT -PCRs, e os amplicons gerados submetidos ao sequenciamento de DNA, e as sequências alinhadas com sequências homólogas obtidas do GenBank para a construção de árvores Neighbor-Joining de nucleotídeos (modelo MCL) e aminoácidos (modelo Poisson), utilizando European bat lyssavirus 1 (EBLV1) como outgroup. A árvore filogenética gerada para o gene N demonstrou a formação de três grupos apoiados em bootstraps de no mínimo 60%. Estes grupos foram denominados como grupo D, exclusivamente com isolados relacionadas ao D. rotundus e A1 e A2 principalmente com isolados de Artibeus spp., enquanto que para o gene G, segregaram em duas linhagens, ou seja, relacionadas ao D. rotundus (grupo D) e relacionadas ao Artibeus spp. (grupo A). Para todos os grupos as identidades de aminoácidos foram superiores às de nucleotídeos, uma indicação da predominância de substituições sinônimas. Concluindo, padrões gênero-específicos para isolados do RABV AgV3 foram detectados em D. rotundus e Artibeus spp., com uma topologia concordante para linhagens fixas em cada um destes quirópteros. Estes resultados mostram uma intrincada relação com o hospedeiro na história evolutiva do RABV, sob o ponto de vista básico, como também a determinação das fontes de infecções na epidemiologia molecular da raiva. / Bats have been assigned an increasing importance in Public Health as these are the main rabies reservoirs in many parts of the world. Phylogenetic studies based on the N gene have shown that rabies virus (RABV) strains from Artibeus spp. frugivorous bats are closely associated to those from the vampire bat Desmodus rotudus, but little is known about the genetic diversity of RABV in these bats. This study aimed to assess the phylogeny of RABV strains from the antigenic variant 3 (AgV3) from these bats based on N and G sequences and to evaluate the possibility of distinction between RABV lineages of these for the molecular epidemiology of rabies. Twenty RABV strains isolated from Artibeus spp. bats and 15 obtained from cattle and related to D. rotundus, all from Sao Paulo State, Brazil, were submitted to RT-PCRs to the N and G genes amplifications and the amplicons were submitted to cycle sequencing; the sequences were aligned with homologous sequences retrieved from the Genbank for the construction of Neighbor-Joining trees for nucleotides (MCL model) and amino acids (Poisson model) with European bat lyssavirus 1 (EBLV1) as outgroup. N gene tree showed three major clusters with bootstraps 60% and named as clusters D, exclusively with strains related to D. rotundus and A1 and A2, chiefly with Artibeus spp. strains while for the G gene only two lineages, i.e., D. rotundus related (cluster D) and Artibeus-related (cluster A) were formed. For all the groups the amino acids identities were superior to the nucleotides identities, an indication of the predominance of synonymous substitutions. As a conclusion, genus specific lineages of AgV3 RABV have been detected in D. rotundus and Artibeus spp. bats with a concordant topology for fixed strains for each of these two bat genus. These results not only show an intricate host-relationship of RABV evolutionary history on the basic point of view, but have an invaluable application for the determination of sources of infections in rabies molecular epidemiology.

Diversas doenças virais emergentes e re-emergentes têm sido descritas em morcegos. As alterações ambientais provocadas por seres humanos associada a adaptação dos morcegos às áreas urbanas aumentam as chances da transmissão dessas doenças para humanos e animais domésticos. O estudo das coronaviroses associadas a esse hospedeiro tem evidenciado que os morcegos atuam como reservatório dessa doença, enquanto o estudo das rotaviroses ainda foi pouco explorado. Este estudo tem como objetivo verificar a ocorrência de coronavírus e rotavírus em diversas espécies de morcegos do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, e realizar inferências filogenéticas a partir dos genes RdRp e S dos coronavírus, assim como de genes de proteínas estruturais e não estruturais dos rotavírus. Para tanto, foi utilizada a RT-PCR seguida de sequenciamento de DNA. Para análise filogenética e de diversidade molecular foi utilizado critério de otimização de distância e cálculo das identidades de nucleotídeos e aminoácidos entre as sequências obtidas e sequências recuperadas do GenBank. A ocorrência de coronavírus foi de 2,95% (9/305) e a de rotavírus de 9,18% (28/305). De acordo com a análise filogenética do gene da RdRp oito amostras foram classificadas como alphacoronavirus. A análise do gene S dos CoV mostrou que as amostras deste estudo formaram uma linhagem única, segregadas das demais amostras de alphacoronavírus. Em relação aos rotavírus, foi possível a identificação de um genótipo G3-P[3]-IX-RX-CX-MX-AX-NX-T3-E3-H6, similar a encontrada em morcegos, equinos e humanos. Além disso, outra amostra foi classificada como G20, similar ao genótipo encontrado em humano, sendo que os genótipos encontrados para os genes VP4, NSP3 e NSP5 desse vírus podem ser classificados como novos genótipos. Os resultados obtidos mostram que esses animais podem carrear agentes infecciosos de importância na saúde pública, sendo que mais estudos são necessários para o esclarecimento do papel dos morcegos como reservatório e fonte de infecção destas zoonoses virais. / Several viral emerging and re-emerging diseases have been described in bats. Environmental changes caused by humans associated with the adaptation of bats to urban areas increase the chance of transmission of these infectious diseases to humans and domestic animals. Coronaviruses studies associated with bats have shown that these hosts act as reservoirs for these viruses, while rotaviruses has been poorly studied in these hosts. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of Rotavirus and Coronavirus in several species of bats from São Paulo State, Brazil, and to perform phylogenetic inferences from Coronavirus RdRp and S genes, as well as from Rotavirus structural and non-structural proteins genes. To this end, RT-PCR followed by DNA sequencing was used. Optimization criterion of distance and identities calculation of the nucleotides and amino acids among the obtained sequences and sequences retrieved from the GenBank were used for phylogenetic and molecular diversity analysis. The occurrence of Coronavirus was 2.95% (9/305) and of Rotavirus was 9.18% (28/305). According to phylogenetic analysis of the RdRp gene, eight strains were classified as Alphacoronavirus. The analysis of the CoV S gene showed that the starins of this study formed a single lineage, segregated from other alphacoronaviruses lineages. Regarding Rotavirus, it was possible to identify the genotype G3-P [3] -IX-RX-CX-MX-AX-NX-T3-E3-H6, similar to that reported in bats, horses and humans. In addition, another strain was classified as G20, similar to the genotype described in humans, while the genotypes found for VP4, NSP3 and NSP5 genes may be classified as new genotypes. These results show that bats may carry infectious agents of public health interest, but further studies are necessary to clarify the role of these animals as reservoirs and infectious sources of these viral zoonoses.

The increase in wind energy production has been relatively rapid and is expected to continue at a global scale. However, numbers of bat carcasses found at wind turbines in North America in the early 21st century raised concern about the plight of this taxon with the growth in wind-energy generation. This led to carcass searches for bats becoming commonplace at wind farms globally. However, few large scale systematic studies have assessed the effects of wind turbines on bats, especially for species considered potentially at higher risk in Europe. In this thesis the number and species of bats killed from wind farms were estimated across Britain, and the important predictors (i.e. activity, turbine characteristics and habitat) of fatality were determined. Insect abundance, biomass and bat activity was also quantified at turbine and control locations, to assess if insects and hence bats were attracted to turbines. In addition, assessments were made of the effects of increasing temporal and spatial replication of acoustic monitoring on estimates of species composition and bat activity. This was assessed for activity monitored at ground and at the centre of the rotor sweep area (the nacelle). Carcass searches were conducted using trained search dogs and concurrently bats were surveyed acoustically at three randomly selected turbines at ground and from the nacelle at 48 wind farms throughout Britain. Bats were also monitored acoustically at paired controls (with a randomly selected turbine) at 20 of the wind farms sites. In addition, nocturnal Diptera were sampled at 18 of the sites using a paired turbine and control design. Across 139 wind turbines, 188,335 bat passes were recorded and 2,973 carcass searches performed. Edge and open aerial foraging species, in particular Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus were most at risk of fatality 4 at wind farms in Britain. The number of Pipistrellus pipistrellus killed annually in Britain between mid-July and mid-October was estimated at 2,373 95% CI 513 to 4,233 and the number of P. pygmaeus at 3,082 95% CI 1,270 to 4,894. When compared to population estimates, the number of Pipistrellus pygmaeus killed was 57% higher than the number of P. pipistrellus killed (0.19% of the population versus 0.43%, respectively). This may be due to Pipistrellus pygmaeus flying more often within the rotor sweep area compared to P. pipistrellus. Activity measured at the nacelle, which is generally assumed to be a better predictor of fatalities, was not a significant predictor of the probability of a fatality for all species combined, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, or P. pygmaeus. Pipistrellus pipistrellus activity and P. pygmaeus activity, measured at ground level were not good predictors of their respective fatalities. Whilst there was some evidence that Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus activity monitored at ground level, was a significant predictor of the probability of their respective fatalities occurring, across wide ranging turbine types, fatality estimates were large. This is presumably due to the importance of turbine characterises (the wind speed that turbines become operational (cut-in speeds) turbine and the distance between the ground and blade tip at the bottom of the rotor sweep area) both being important negative predictors of fatalities for Pipistrellus pipistrellus. Predicting from models, if the cut-in speed is increased from 3.5 to 5 m s-1 the number of Pipistrellus pipistrellus fatalities would be reduced by 76% (0.23 fatalities per turbine per month to 0.06). These findings have important implications for guidance, since activity is the ubiquitous measure used to assess fatality risk for all species. Since, Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus were detected at 98% and 92% of sites respectively; it could be 5 assumed that these species would be detected at the majority of wind farms within their range. Therefore, in a British context, curtailing wind turbines below 5 m s-1 could be an effective mitigation strategy without the costly requirement to monitor activity. Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus activity was 46% (6.3 ± 1.3 SE mean passes per night c.f. 3.4 ± 1.3 SE) and 34% (4.0 ± 1.4 SE c.f. 2.7 ± 1.4 SE) higher at turbines compared to controls, respectively. Given that habitat and elevation were consistent between paired turbines and controls and monitoring was conducted on the same nights, higher activity at turbines compared to controls provides evidence that these two species are attracted to wind turbines. Furthermore, since the biomass of nocturnal Diptera, the main insect prey for Pipistrellus spp., was higher at controls compared to turbines, and bat foraging at turbines was not predicted by insect abundance or biomass, attraction is unlikely to be due to insects. Evidence presented here shows that bats are attracted to turbines, and therefore measuring activity at pre-construction sites for environmental impact assessments is unlikely to be effective. In conclusion, these results provide further evidence that common species are killed but generally in relatively low numbers, they also support the view that monitoring activity for assessing fatality risk at wind farms is ineffective. It is imperative that wind energy is developed using an evidence based approach. However, it also important that wind energy continues to contribute to an increasing renewable energy sector. In conclusion, results presented here, support that wind turbines are likely to be having a small impact on bat populations in Britain.

The Wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bat (T. plicata) in Thailand and the Brazilian free-tailed bat (T. brasiliensis) in south-central Texas are integral in the control of agricultural pests. The effect on the production of rice and cotton is determined by the bats consumption of a particular pest species in that region. In Thailand, it is the White-Backed Planthopper (Sogatella furcifera), while in south-central Texas, it is the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa zea). The ecological service these bat species provide is measured in millions of dollars saved by farmers each year. Finally, a conclusion was made about which species had a greater effect on the economy when compared to each other.

Human beings have been exposed to different cold conditions throughout time, and have through cold acclimation developed mechanisms to survive in these conditions. Cold acclimation can be elicited through exposure to natural cold climates, or artificially induced in a laboratory to study the body’s response to repeated cold exposures. Several studies looking at the effects of cold acclimation in humans have been conducted during the last 50 years, and have reported that cold acclimation can lead to a change in skin and core temperature, heat production and shivering. An accurate quantification of shivering thermogenesis (ST) during cold acclimation has not been done before, and most previous measurements of shivering during cold acclimation have been inaccurate and inadequate. In this study a Liquid Condition Suits (LCS) was used to elicit cold acclimation (10°C, 2hr daily, for 4 weeks) while an accurate measurement of the effect of cold acclimation on changes in muscle activity was conducted. In CHAPTER 2, results showed that four weeks of cold acclimation at 10°C did not change skin and core temperature, heat production or ST. The effects on shivering pattern and fuel selection were also analysed, but no effects of cold acclimation could be observed. These measurements were a part of a larger study, in which the effects of cold acclimation on changes in BAT were the main outcome measures. These data showed that an increase in BAT volume (45%) and activity (120%) were the only observed effects of cold acclimation. In CHAPTER 3, we set out to assess if changes in shivering from pre to post cold acclimation are associated with changes in BAT volume, and if the amount of BAT a participant possesses prior to cold acclimation can be used to predict changes in shivering intensity during cold acclimation. The interindividual variability in changes in thermal responses, heat production, shivering and BAT volume occurring between subjects during four weeks of cold acclimation was also addressed in this section.

Lagos bat virus (LBV) belongs to genotype (gt) 2 of the lyssavirus genus in the family Rhabdoviridae, order Mononegavirales. This virus causes fatal rabies encephalitis in vertebrate animals and has only been reported from the African continent except for an imported case from African origin identified in France. The prototype lyssavirus is in fact rabies virus (gt 1) for which a variety of different vaccines are commercially available. These vaccines, however, do not provide protection against the gt 2 viruses. Genotype 2 viruses have not been well studied to date and the true risk for humans and animals is uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology and pathogenicity of this uniquely African virus. In this project, our surveillance in South Africa reported six new LBV cases after this virus was not reported for the previous 12 years prior to this study. These results indicated that the incidence of this virus is greatly underestimated due to lack or absence of surveillance or ineffective diagnostic abilities of laboratories in Africa. Molecular epidemiological analysis of previously identified and new gt 2 isolates from this study indicated a high intragenotypic nucleotide and amino acid sequence diversity with respect to the Nucleo-, Phospho-, Matrix- and Glycoprotein genes. Based on these analyses, it has been proposed that two virus isolates that were previously reported as gt 2 LBV, may in fact constitute a new lyssavirus genotype. These findings emphasize the need to investigate different criteria for lyssavirus classification. As more lyssaviruses are discovered and with rapid progress in full genome sequencing, diversity becomes accentuated and challenges the criteria upon which lyssavirus taxonomy is based. As a compliment to these genetic findings, our study of viral pathogenicity in a murine model, identified that the pathogenicity of phylogroup II viruses has previously been underestimated. LBV poses a potential risk to humans and animals and future vaccine strategies should ideally include protection against phylogroup II viruses. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Microbiology and Plant Pathology / unrestricted