The Molecular Biology Laboratory at the University of Udayana's School of Medicine has confirmed the rabies outbreak in Bail originated in Indonesia, an expert confirmed.
Ni Nyoman Sri Budayanti, head of the laboratory, denied reports the virus was related to international bioterrorism as previously speculated by a government official.
"After conducting research and studies, we have concluded the rabies virus has similar characteristics to those identified in Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara," Budayanti said.
A number of virologists including Budayanti, Ngurah Mahardika, Raka Sudewi and Susilawati conducted a close examination of the rabies virus taken from victims in Bali.
The four virologists used sequent data from all types of rabies found in Indonesia from the Genebank.
"We assume the virus entered Bali through inter-island animal trafficking. Our study found the virus came from Flores in East Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi," she said.
Budayanti went on to say that many fishermen from East Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi took their rabies-affected dogs while they were fishing in Bali watezrs.
"The fishermen usually bring their dogs with them to ward off any problems that might arise during fishing," she added.
The increasing demand for dog meat among Balinese people may have also exacerbated the spread of the virus on the island.
"Many people are now consuming dog meat daily," she added.
Budayanti regretted the health authority had been slow to respond to the rabies outbreak saying they had not conducted any laboratory tests on any virus samples taken from the victims.
Health officials at Sanglah General Hospital in Denpasar, previously said the hospital could not afford to send the virus to the laboratory because it was too expensive.
A laboratory rabies test of a virus sample costs around Rp 900,000 (US$95) per sample.
"As experts, we feel a responsibility to conduct laboratory checks on every sample of rabies virus to determine precisely the type of rabies virus that affects a victim," she said.
Despite limited funds, the university's laboratory conducted laboratory tests on 23 samples of the virus.
"We found that 11 out of the 23 samples were rabies-positive including the one belonging to the 13-year-old I Made Wiadi Astana who died last Friday," she added.
"We don't have to send the samples to Jakarta. We can check them here," she added.
The laboratory tests are conducted using Polymerese Chain Reaction (PCR) and use the suspects' saliva, and skin from the neck, which is taken from a biopsy.
The rabies outbreak hit Bali in November 2008 and has so far claimed 17 lives. Bali has a dog population of 500,000.
The Bali administration has carried out anti-rabies schemes including dog vaccination, the mass culling of stray dogs, public education and advocacy.
The outbreak has hit seven out of nine regencies in Bali.
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