Further studies on rabies virus isolated from healthy dogs in Nigeria

Rabies viruses isolated from healthy dogs, were passaged in mice and adapted to cell culture. After 5-7 passages, isolated viruses were subjected to monoclonal antibody (Mab) characterization with a panel of 36 anti-nucleocapsid (NC) and 40 anti-glycoprotein (G) MAbs. The four viruses showed positive fluorescence with all NC hybridomas except MAb 422-5, confirming them as true rabies virus isolates. The anti-G MAb reactivity pattern was the same in the four isolates indicating that they belong to the same antigenic group, but were antigenically distinct from the Flury LEP rabies vaccine virus which is widely used throughout Nigeria for canine vaccination, and from other previously characterized street lyssaviruses from Nigeria.