Rabid Vampire bats attack Brazilians.

international | environment | other press Tuesday November 08, 2005 14:19 by iosaf

(human interest story)

The authorities of Sao Paulo in Brazil have confirmed that the destruction of rain forest and their natural habitat has led to an inordinate wave of attacks from vampire bats.

In the last two months, thousands of brazilians have been bitten, and at least 23 have died, from vampire bat bites. Those 23 who died, did not do so from loss of blood, but from rabies. The vampire bat comes in three sub species [he Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus), the Hairy-legged Vampire Bat (Diphylla ecaudata), and the White-winged Vampire Bat (Diaemus youngi) and all carry rabies.

The latest victim was Valnice Santos, 20 years old, who died last week after being bitten at home in the nothern city of Turiacu. His death followed 16 others in Maranhao, 2.400 kilometres north of Sao Paulo. There have been 7 other deaths in Turiacu.

Scientist are blaming unsustainable farming methods for this new problem.

1,350 people have been vaccinated against rabies, and locals in the town of Maranhao are scared witless, with nightly holes appearing in their rooftops and windows as the bats come to suck their blood.

But they don't suck they lap :-
"The saliva of vampire bats contains a substance, draculin, which prevents the victim's blood from clotting. They, therefore, lap blood rather than suck it as most people imagine. A recent study found that vampire bats can, in addition to walking, run at speeds of up to 1.2 meters per second. Running and walking are the primary way in which vampire bats approach their prey.

They might also help humanity :-

In a study which appeared in the January 10, 2003 issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, a genetically engineered drug called desmoteplase based on the saliva of Desmodus rotundus was shown to improve stroke patients."

original reports :-
spanish
http://www.miami.com/mld/elnuevo/news/world/americas/13053520.htm
english
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20051107/sc_space/behindtherecentspateofvampirebatattacks