We analyzed 50 rabies virus samples isolated in Brazil from 12 dogs, 11 cats, 5 vampire bats, 15 cattle, 2 horses, 1 pig, 1 sheep, and 3 humans to investigate the molecular epidemiology of rabies viruses. We sequenced 203 nucleotides on the nucleoprotein gene by direct sequencing of the PCR-amplified products. All the isolates belonged to the genotype 1 and homology of the 203 nucleotides was at least 83.7% among isolates. The main reservoirs were estimated based on the homology of nucleotide sequences. Brazilian rabies virus isolates were clustered into two reservoir groups: dogs and vampire bats. All the dog-related rabies virus isolates showed nucleotide homology greater than 99.0%. Vampire bat-related rabies virus isolates showed nucleotide homology greater than 96.6% and could be further divided into subgroups corresponding to areas where viruses were isolated. These data suggest that circulating rabies variants belong to at least two different genotype clusters in Brazil and that these two clusters are maintained independently among vampire bats and dogs.

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The Aravan virus was isolated from a Lesser Mouse-eared Bat (Myotis blythi) in the Osh region of Kyrghyzstan, central Asia, in 1991. We determined the complete sequence of the nucleoprotein (N) gene and compared it with those of 26 representative lyssaviruses obtained from databases. The Aravan virus was distinguished from seven distinct genotypes on the basis of nucleotide and amino acid identity. Phylogenetic analysis based on both nucleotide and amino acid sequences showed that the Aravan virus was more closely related to genotypes 4, 5, and—to a lesser extent—6, which circulates among insectivorus bats in Europe and Africa. The Aravan virus does not belong to any of the seven known genotypes of lyssaviruses, namely, rabies, Lagos bat, Mokola, and Duvenhage viruses and European bat lyssavirus 1, European bat lyssavirus 2, and Australian bat lyssavirus. Based on these data, we propose a new genotype for the Lyssavirus genus.

We sent questionnaires to the major dermatological institutions in Japan concerning the course and associations of dermatomyositis (DM). Of 637 cases observed between 1973 and 1983, 68 were children. The mortality rate was 2.9% in children, 47.1% in adult males, and 30.0% in adult females. Associations with malignancies were noted in 30.1% of adults; 112 cases (19.7% of adults) died from these, but surgery improved the signs of DM in 22 cases. The main neoplasms were cancer of the stomach, lung, colon, and breast. Association with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) was observed in 85 cases (14.9% of adults) and, in spite of intensive treatment, 38 cases (6.7%) died from it. In the majority of PF cases who died within 2 months, pulmonary symptoms started within 6 months of the onset of DM. All cases of PF which occurred before the onset of DM survived. The concurrence of PF and malignancies was exceptional. Death from myocardial disease occurred in only 3 cases.

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