The long incubation period in rabies: delayed progression of infection in muscle at the site of exposure |
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Authors: | K M Charlton S Nadin-Davis G A Casey A I Wandeler |
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Institution: | (1) Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Animal Diseases Resarch Institute, 3851 Fallowfield Road, P.O. Box 11300, Station H, Nepean, Ontario, K2H 8P9, Canada, CA |
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Abstract: | The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is a host of rabies in large areas of Canada and the United States. In each of two experiments, equal numbers of skunks in
two groups were inoculated intramuscularly with low doses of a field strain of rabies virus (street rabies virus). In each
experiment, skunks in one group surviving to 2 months were killed at this time and selected tissues were used for examination
by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method or by immunohistochemistry for rabies antigen. Results of detailed examinations
using PCR technology (experiment 1) indicated that muscle at the inoculation site contained viral RNA at 2 months postinoculation,
when other relevant tissues on the route of viral migration and early entrance into the central nervous system were negative.
The cellular location of virus/antigen, as determined immunohistochemically in experiment 2, was striated muscle fibers and
fibrocytes. Our results indicate a major role of muscle (tissue) infection at the inoculation site in the long incubation
period of rabies in skunks. These and related findings will be useful in rabies control and, if applicable to other species,
will be relevant in postexposure treatment.
Received: 31 July 1996 / Revised, accepted: 11 November 1996 |
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Keywords: | Rabies Long incubation periods Skunk Polymerase chain reaction Immunohistochemistry |
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