ArticleBMC veterinary research2017
Pathobiological investigation of naturally infected canine rabies cases from Sri Lanka.
Article in BMC veterinary research, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Characterization of spontaneous gross and histologic findings in free-ranging Egyptian rousettes (Rousettus aegyptiacus) from Uganda with a review of reported pathogens.Veterinary research · 2026Article
- Meningeal Lymphatic and Glymphatic Structures in a Pelagic Delphinid (Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025Article
- Histopathological and immunohistochemical examination of the brains of rabid dogs in the Philippines.The Journal of veterinary medical science · 2024Article
- Tracking lethal threat: in-depth review of rabies.Open veterinary journal · 2023Review
- Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Rabies Virus-Infected Human and Canine Brains.Neurochemical research · 2022Article
- Lateral flow devices for samples collected by straw sampling method for postmortem canine rabies diagnosis.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2021Article
- Animal rabies situation in Sultanate of Oman (2017-2019).Tropical animal health and production · 2020Article
- Rabies-induced behavioural changes are key to rabies persistence in dog populations: Investigation using a network-based model.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2019Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe recommended screening of rabies in 'suspect' animal cases involves testing fresh brain tissue. The preservation of fresh tissue however can be difficult under field conditions and formalin fixation provides a simple alternative that may allow a confirmatory diagnosis. The occurrence and location of histopathological changes and immunohistochemical (IHC) labelling for rabies in formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) canine brain is described in samples from 57 rabies suspect cases from Sri-Lanka. The presence of Negri bodies and immunohistochemical detection of rabies virus antigen were evaluated in the cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum and brainstem. The effect of autolysis and artefactual degeneration of the tissue was also assessed.
resultsRabies was confirmed in 53 of 57 (93%) cases by IHC. IHC labelling was statistically more abundant in the brainstem. Negri bodies were observed in 32 of 53 (60.4%) of the positive cases. Although tissue degradation had no effect on IHC diagnosis, it was associated with an inability to detect Negri bodies. In 13 cases, a confirmatory Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for rabies virus RNA was undertaken by extracting RNA from fresh frozen tissue, and also attempted using FFPE samples. PCR detection using fresh frozen samples was in agreement with the IHC results. The PCR method from FFPE tissues was suitable for control material but unsuccessful in our field cases.
conclusionsHistopathological examination of the brain is essential to define the differential diagnoses of behaviour modifying conditions in rabies virus negative cases, but it is unreliable as the sole method for rabies diagnosis, particularly where artefactual change has occurred. Formalin fixation and paraffin embedding does not prevent detection of rabies virus via IHC labelling even where artefactual degeneration has occurred. This could represent a pragmatic secondary assay for rabies diagnosis in the field because formalin fixation can prevent sample degeneration. The brain stem was shown to be the site with most viral immunoreactivity; supporting recommended sampling protocols in favour of improved necropsy safety in the field. PCR testing of formalin fixed tissue may be successful in certain circumstances as an alternative test.
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