Outbreak of Herbivorous Rabies Kills 25 Animals on Rural Property in RS

An outbreak of herbivorous rabies caused the death of 25 animals — 24 cattle and one equine — on a property located in the community of Rincão dos Antunes, in the municipality of Eugênio de Castro, in the Northwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul. The first deaths started to be reported in July, and the diagnosis of the disease was confirmed on Monday (13) by the State Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production, and Irrigation (Seapi) after laboratory analysis conducted in Porto Alegre. Herbivorous rabies is caused by a fatal virus transmitted mainly by hematophagous bats (vampires). The disease has no cure, so preventive vaccination is considered essential, especially in areas where cases have been confirmed. Although vaccination is not mandatory, Seapi recommends immediate vaccination of the herd and continuous monitoring of neighboring properties. The department is expected to carry out new sanitary surveillance actions in the region to identify possible active foci of transmitting bats and to instruct farmers on prevention measures.