Evaluation of five different methods for routine diagnosis of rabies

Brain tissue from 187 animals of different species was investigated by means of fluorescent antibody test, peroxidase anti-peroxidase technique, mouse inoculation test and cell culture technique for a diagnosis of rabies. With peroxidase anti-peroxidase technique the rabies specific reaction comprised inclusion bodies and a granular staining of the cytoplasm of affected cells. A specific positive reaction was found only in neurons, in which perikaryon as well as cell processes were affected. Fluorescent antibody test and peroxidase anti-peroxidase technique detected 98% each, mouse inoculation test 95% and cell culture technique 81% of the rabies positive animals. In conclusion, peroxidase anti-peroxidase technique allows a highly reliable diagnosis of rabies when only formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded material is available. Histopathological alterations comprising Negri bodies, inflammatory and degenerative lesions were encountered in 53% of the rabies positive brains.