Transplacental transmission of rabies virus from a naturally infected skunk

A female skunk (Mephitis mephitis) was submitted to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for routine rabies diagnosis. Rabies infection was confirmed by fluorescent rabies antibody examination on brain tissue. Additional tissues, including uterus, ovaries, and 6 embryos, were collected to study rabies pathogenesis. The fluorescent rabies antibody examination showed rabies virus antigen in 1 embryo, the uterus, and ovaries.