RABIES

SYNONYMS.
 Hydrophobia
 Lyssa
 Tollwat
 Lerage
 Mad Dog
 Madness
 Lytta
 Habhoo.
 Rabere
 Jalatanka
 Rabies an acute viral infection in man and other warm blooded animals
Characterized signs of abnormal behaviour, nervous disturbances (such as
increased excitability and irritability), impairment of consciousness,
ascending paralysis and death
 zoonotic disease
AETIOLOGY

 Lyssavirus in the family Rhabdoviridae in order Mononegavirales

 large, enveloped, bullet shaped , sRNA virus
 virus is quite fragile and easily inactivated by organic solvents and
detergents, by "ultra voilet" light and heat
 highly resistant against cold, dryness, decay, etc. and remains infectious for
weeks in the cadaver
 destroyed by various concentrations of formalin, phenols, halogens,
mercurials, mineral acids, various antiseptics, soap and detergents and high
temperatures.
 Boiling inactivates the virus immediately while at 55 0C or above.
 Rabies virus isolated from naturally infected hosts is usually called 'street
virus'
 The term 'fixed virus' is used for certain strains maintained in laboratory
animals by serial intracerebral passages.
 It is highly pathogenic, has short incubation period of 4 to 6 days only and
does not invade the salivary gland.
SEROTYPES AND GENOTYPES OF THE GENUS LYSSA VIRUS
SEROTYPE LYSSA VIRUS GENOTYPE
Serotype- 1 Classical rabies virus Genotype- I
Covering most street and
 fixed virus
Serotype-2 Logos bat l, Logos bat 2 Genotype-2
and Logos bat 3
Serotype-3 Makola 1, Makola 2, Genotype-3
Makola 3, Makola 4
Serotype-4 Duvenhage 1, Duyenhage Genotype-4
2, Duvenhage 3
Serotype-5 European bat Lyssa virus Genotype-5
(EBL) sub type I (EBL -
l)
Sub type 2 (EBL - 2)
Australian bat Lyssa virus

Incubation period - a variable incubation period of 1 week to 1 year, with a mean

of 1-2 months
o The length of the incubation period after viral exposure varies greatly and
depends on the anatomical distance between the bite site and the central
nervous system, the severity of the bite, and the amount of infectious virus in
the saliva.

FIXED VIRUS STREET VIRUS

l. It occurs in nature causing disease in l. It occurs in naturally occurring
dog, fox and other animals. The virus is infection in dogs and other animals.
passaged by serial intracranial root in
rabbit. 2. Incubation period is variable. It may

2. Incubation period is shorter. It 3. It produces intracytoplasmic inclusion

reaches maximum in 6-7 days following
40-50 passages.
3. It does not produce negri bodies.
4. There is absence of virus in the
salivary glands and saliva.
5. It is self limiting and is not virulent
for man. It is used for rabies vaccine
preparation.
bodie: known as negribodies found in
the bram of infected animals. 4. It has
got affinity for salivary glands.
5. It is not self limiting. It is pathogenic
to all warm blooded animals.

TRANSMISSION
 o Transmission of rabies under natural condition is commonly by bite of rabid
animals
o In India, dogs are presumed to be the main transmitter (95%).
o A bite on the face has a contagion index of almost 100% whereas on the
body or leg is about 2%
o no arthropod vectors to be involved in the transmission.
o Rabies virus can penetrate the mucous membrane of eyes, nose and mouth
and thus aerosal infection is possible in a rabies laboratory by accident.
o In India, the virus is well manifested by dog to dog transmission. So, the dog
is the most important source of spreader
o whereas bat is the important agent of spreader in Brazil, Venezuela, Trinidad
and other parts of U.S.A
o consumption of unboiled milk or meat of rabid animals or breast fed
children of rabid mother cause rabies
CLINICAL MANIFESTATION IN DOGS –
o Two types of syndromes are noted in dogs. They are considered as furious
form(hyper excitable) and dumb form(with paralysis predominant)
o dumb rabies is more prevalent in our country
(A) Furious form - excitation is the predominant changes and it can be
divided into stage of melanchology and stage of excitation
I. Stage of melancholy-
 change in the behaviour of the animal.
 show the tendency to bite either inanimate or animate objects.
 does not obey its master
 show unusual violence and frenzy behavior
 Bite nearby Objects e.g. door, wire, cage, feeding vessels
 They continue to have biting urge till death.
 Rabid dog may move from one village to other—a long distance in a
circular way (circling disease) and thus spread the disease over wide
areas.
 respond very sharply to any stimulus
 show imaginary fly catching stance.
 bark with no cause behind that
 pupils get dilated
 due to paralysis of pharyngeal and laryngeal muscles does not succeed to
drink water.
 Saliva hangs mouth in long strand.
 The above period lasts for 1-3 days.
II. Stage of excitement –
 excitability and irritability increases and dogs become very muchaggressive
  period may last for 1-7 days
 dog may hide in dark place due to photophobia.
 less sense towards pain while bitten by other animals
 During violent attempt of chasing, the dog may break the teeth, injure the
gum and head ,change in the bark - very characteristic
 incoordination and muscle tremors
 may lick their genitalia
 bitch may show the signs of heat and accept the male
 In end, the dog will loose its ability to bark; the lower jaw will hang, tongue
will protrude and head will drop down.
 The dog will develop dyspnoea, ascending paralysis, coma, and death.
 The total episode may last as long as 10 days
(B) Dumb form –
 also known as paralytic form
 paralysis of the lower jaw, tongue, larynx and hind quarter
 not capable to bite but their saliva remain infective
 throat muscles are paralysed and as such a voice is produced known as
howl
 hanging of the jaw due to paralysis of Jaw muscles
 unable to close the mouth (open mouth condition)
 In the terminal stage, Of disease dogs show progressive weakness and
paralysis which cause them to stagger or fall Ultimately there is coma
and death.
 The entire clinical course of the disease up to death takes 7 days

CLINICAL FINDINGS IN HORSE

 Weakness or lameness is the initial sign

 may show furious form and become violent and uncontrollable

 fall on the ground, roll on the ground and chew foreign materials
 drooling of saliva and convulsion
 Paw and kick viciously and remain very much destructive
 Transient period Of excitement may also be observed in both stallions and
mares
 dysphagia and ingest wood or faeces
 accleration of pulse and respiratory rate
 horse falls on the ground and dies
 entire course of the disease up to death requires 2-4 days
CLINICAL FINDING IN CATTLE
 Inco-ordination
 loss of appetite and sudden fall of milk yield
 trembling or twitching of ear
 paralysis of the muscles of deglutition with excessive salivation and grinding
of teeth
 difficulty in drinking water
 bellow incessantly in a characteristic low pitched voice due to vocal cord
paralysis
 sexual excitement may be noted both in cow and bull
 bellowing and excessive salivation are the most common signs
CLINICAL FINDINGS IN SHEEP
 more or less similar to cattle and buffalo
 restlessness, starring eyes, twitching of lips, salivation, aggressiveness and
death
CLINICAL FINDINGS IN GOAT
 more aggression and continuous bleating
DIAGNOSIS
 SAMPLE:-
 brain
 Hippocampus,
 thalamus
 cerebral cortex
 medulla oblongata
 Histopathology:-
 Negri bodies are pathognomonic of rabies. However, Negri bodies are only
present in 71% of cases.
 IDENTIFICATION
A. Demonstration of virus:
 Flouroscent antibody test ( gold std. test)
 Immunoperoxidase test
 Rapid immunodiagnostic test (RIDT)
 ELISA
 RT-PCR
Virus isolation in cell culture
 Cell line – N2a CCL1311 & BHK-21
 CPE- virus slow growing so devoid of CPE
 Animal inoculation
  3-10 mice of 3-4 wks of age are inoculated intracerebrally & are observed
for 28 days. If death occurs brain is collect virus is visualize in thin section
by FAT.
Sellar staining for negri body
 Immunological method
 Typing of virus by using monoclonal antibodies.
 Nucleic acid probe
 PCR
 Serological method
 Serology of not much important because of late sero conversion
 Serology is important for epidemiological survey, serotyping & vaccine
response.
 Flouroscent Ab virus neutralization (FAVN)
 Rapid flouroscent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) – used for determining
rabies virus neutralizing antibody.
 ELISA- indirect commercial kit available to confirm antibody against
vaccine of rabies in cat & dog.
TREATMENT
 no specific treatment for clinical rabies
 Symptomatic treatment -sedative and narcotic drugs
 chemotherapeutic drugs like Vinkristin, Scopolamide hydrobromide,
Dihydroxypropyladenine have been found to give good response against
rabies virus in experimental animal
 use interferon in controlling rabies virus infection.
 site Of bite should be washed with running water and soap.
 Alkali prevents the of virus.
 Sodium bicarbonate or caustic soda may be used. 2% quaternary ammonium
compound or Tr. Iodine may be used.
 Antirabies serum may be infiltrated around the wound.
 Wound should not be sutured 24 hours of bite because the additional trauma
produce during suture may help virus of wound to gain entry in deeper
tissues.
 If at all suturing is necessary, it should be done 48 hours. Animal may be
kept under antibiotic coverage
PREVENTION AND CONTROL
1. Education to responsible ownership:
Public should be educated to change their attitude and they should be made
aware of the responsibility that their dog should not cause
unsanitary, dangerous, disturbing or offensive conditions and does not
damage public or private property.
2. Mobilization of community participation: In Canine Rabies Control
Programme' public co-operation is essential for wide range of activities. So
public should be educated and mobilized.
3. Reduction of contact rates between susceptible dogs: Quarantine
measures,
surveillance of animals into and out of infected areas, prohibition of free
movement outside the owners' premises, lashing, muzzling, etc. helps in
reducing the contact rates and thereby the spread of disease.
4. Stray dog controls
5. Mass immunization - well-managed vaccination campaigns. However, the
vaccination should be completed in a short period of time, i.e. in 4-6 weeks
time
6. Rabies diagnosis and surveillance
7. Recording of suspected cases of canine rabies

 There are post-exposure as well as pre-exposure immunoprophylaxis

methods available
 FOR PRE-EXPOSURE IMMUNIZATION, inj. Rakshrab Dose -1 ml ,
subcut the initial vaccination is done in the pups at the age between 12 and
14 weeks. It is followed by a booster vaccination 1 year later and then it is
repeated after every year or after every 3 years.
 The revaccination primarily depends on the type of vaccine used .
 FOR POST-EXPOSURE IMMUNIZATION, the vaccination must be
started at the earliest to assure that the dog is immunized before the rabies
virus reaches central nervous system.

 Tissue culture antirabies vaccine is given on day 0, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 90 post-

exposure.
 The dogs that are not severely exposed, the vaccination on day 90 is not
necessary.
 Besides vaccination, antirabies serum can also be used to provide passive
immunity to tide over the initial phase of the infection.
 The dose of equine origin antirabies serum is 40 IU/kg body weight to be
given i/m.
 It should be used after doing sensitivity test and a maximum of 3000 IU can
be given