[Experimental bovine rabies: susceptibility, symptoms, humoral immunologic reactions, lesions and virus excretion]

In France, rabies in cattle is transmitted by a bite of a rabid fox. This disease represents a threat for public health. Few written observations concerning bovine rabies have been made. This report describes a model of experimental bovine rabies, necessary for further studies. Consequently, sixteen cattle were inoculated with a street rabies virus suspension into each masseter muscle: ten were challenged with 5 X 10(5) MICLD50, three with 5 X 10(4) MICLD50 and three with 5 X 10(3) MICLD50. The incubation periods, symptomatology, temperature changes, serum neutralizing antibody titers, lesions, excretion and strengths of virus in various tissues were described. Anorexia and adipsia, excessive salivation and characteristic lowings were recognized in more than half of the fifteen rabid cattle. None or few serum neutralizing antibody titers were found. The lesions were not typical. The laboratory diagnosis was difficult when the morbidity period was short. The virus was isolated from salivary mandibular glands of twelve animals and from the saliva of six animals. The animals which had the longest morbidity period were those which had the highest strength of virus in their salivary mandibular glands and in their Ammon's horn.