Brazil vampire bats deadly

Up to 22 people may have died of rabies after being bitten by vampire bats in Brazil's Amazon state of Para, scientists said yesterday after discovering a second affected area.

The state's epidemic research centre said 17 deaths from rabies had been confirmed in people known to have been bitten by bats. In five more cases the deceased showed typical rabies symptoms but were buried without an autopsy.

Fifteen of the confirmed deaths were in the remote riverside Portel area, and two more, including the latest on May 19, in Viseu region some 450km to the east.

Rabies has an incubation period of about a year, during which vaccine must be administered to avoid death.