Characterization of a wild rabies virus isolate of porcine origin in China

Rabies virus (RABV) that circulates worldwide in a variety of mammals can cause fatal encephalomyelitis. GD-SH-01, a street rabies virus, was isolated from a rabid pig in China. We investigated the pathogenicity of GD-SH-01 in suckling and adult mice, and compared the susceptibility of NA and BHK-21 cells in the culture to infection by GD-SH-01 and CVS-24. The complete GD-SH-01 genome sequence was determined and compared with known RABV wild strains to understand the mutations and genetic diversity that allow RABV to spread and adapt in new hosts, such as pigs. Our results suggest that GD-SH-01 possesses the characteristics of a virulent strain in Southern China and shows higher pathogenicity index than that of CVS-24 regardless of its lower level of replication in mouse brain. Up to 47 unique nucleotide substitutions were found in the genome, including five missense mutations. These data provide useful information for further understanding the transmission mechanism and the genetic variation of RABV in dissimilar hosts.