The number of human rabies cases acquired from dog bites constitutes a high proportion of the total rabies cases in China, although the number of human rabies cases has gradually decreased in recent years. The pivotal role of dogs in the spread of rabies indicates that controlling and preventing canine rabies could be a key step in eradicating human rabies in China. The primary aims of this review are to discuss the properties and pathogenesis of the rabies virus, the clinical signs and diagnosis of canine rabies, threshold host density and vaccination of dogs, and the prevention and control of canine rabies in China.
Animals ; Dog Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Dogs ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies Vaccines ; immunology ; Rabies virus ; genetics

Rabies remains a continuous threat to public health in Beijing. In this study, a total of 224 brain tissues were collected from suspected infected stray dogs within Beijing between January 2015 and December 2016. Among them, total of 67 samples were diagnosed positive for rabies. In the phylogenetic analysis, rabies in Beijing is currently a relatively independent public health issue originating from local rabid dogs apart from the imported cases from elsewhere in the country. Because vaccination of unregistered dogs against rabies is still neglected in Beijing and other regions of China, national and local authorities should play central roles in all related aspects, such as development of policies, engagement of stakeholders for public and professional education, entire vaccination process, and animal management.
Animals ; Beijing ; epidemiology ; Bites and Stings ; epidemiology ; Dog Diseases ; virology ; Dogs ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Public Health ; Rabies ; prevention & control ; transmission ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies Vaccines ; immunology ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; Zoonoses

Animal Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Infection Control ; methods ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; Rabies virus ; immunology

OBJECTIVEThis study was to explore the differences in the nucleoprotein gene between rabies virus (RABV) and its vaccine strains in Guizhou province from year 2005 to 2010.

METHODSSamples from 4 rabies patients and cerebral tissue samples of 28 rabies infected dogs were collected from different districts in Guizhou province between year 2005 and 2010. Direct Immunofluorescence Assay (DFA) and RT-nested PCR assay were applied to detect the overall length of N gene sequence. Meanwhile, based on the comparison between the homology and phylogenetic tree, the differences in N gene sequence between the prevalent RABV and the RABV vaccine strains collected from NCBI database in these years.

RESULTSAccording to DFA and RT-nested PCR assay, the antigen and nucleic acid of the 21 dogs and 4 human samples were both confirmed positive; whose full length of N gene sequences were both 1353 bp. The homological analysis showed that the 25 strains of RABV virus and the RABV type I virus stored by GenBank database shared a high homology in N gene nucleotide and amino acid sequences, which were 89%-100% and 98%-100%, respectively. Besides, the homology between the 25 strains of RABV virus and its vaccines in nucleotide and amino acid sequences were separately 86%-95% and 96%-100%. The N gene of vaccines for livestock shared the highest homology with HEP-Flury strain in the nucleotide and amino acid, which were 88%-89% and 98%-99%, respectively. The vaccines for human use showed its greatest homology with the CTN strain in nucleotide (86%-100%) and amino acid (96%-100%). The phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that the 25 strains of RABV virus, RABV type I virus and the CTN vaccine strains constituted one individual cluster, which was least different from the CTN vaccine for human use.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalent RABV virus, the vaccine HEP-Flury for livestock and the vaccine CTN for human use were found to be highly similar in N gene expression in Guizhou province from 2005 to 2010.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Dogs ; Genotype ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nucleoproteins ; genetics ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Rabies ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies Vaccines ; genetics ; Rabies virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

It is essential to rapidly and precisely diagnose rabies. In this study, we evaluated four diagnostic methods, indirect fluorescent antibody test (FAT), virus isolation (VI), reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and rapid immunodiagnostic assay (RIDA), to detect rabies in animal brain homogenates. Out of the 110 animal brain samples tested, 20 (18.2%) were positive for rabies according to the FAT. Compared to the FAT, the sensitivities of VI, RT-PCR, and RIDA were 100, 100, and 95%, respectively. The specificities of VI, RT-PCR and RIDA were found to be 100, 100, and 98.9%, respectively. Rabies viruses circulating in Korea were isolated and propagated in murine neuroblastoma (NG108-15) cells with titers ranging from 101.5 to 104.5 TCID50/mL. Although the RIDA findings did not completely coincide with results obtained from FAT, VI, and RT-PCR, RIDA appears to be a fast and reliable assay that can be used to analyze brain samples. In summary, the results from our study showed that VI, RT-PCR, and RIDA can be used as supplementary diagnostic tools for detecting rabies viruses in both laboratory and field settings.
Animals ; Antigens, Viral/blood ; Brain/virology ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect/*veterinary ; Immunoassay/*veterinary ; RNA, Viral/genetics/isolation & purification ; Rabies/diagnosis/*veterinary/virology ; Rabies virus/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Republic of Korea ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/*veterinary ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo perform pathological observation and etiological identification of specimens collected from dairy cows, beef cattle and dogs which were suspected of rabies in Inner Mongolia in 2011, and analyze their etiological characteristics.

METHODSPathological observation was conducted on the brain specimens of three infected animals with Hematoxylin-Eosin staining, followed by confirmation using immunofluorescence and nested RT-PCR methods. Finally, phylogenetic analysis was conducted using the virus N gene sequence amplified from three specimens.

RESULTSEosinophilic and cytoplasmic inclusion bodies were seen in neuronal cells of the CNS; and rabies non-characteristic histopathological changes were also detected in the CNS. The three brain specimens were detected positive. N gene nucleotide sequence of these three isolates showed distinct sequence identity, therefore they fell into different groups in the phylogenetic analysis. N gene in the cow and dog had higher homology with that in Hebei isolate, but that in the beef cattle had higher homology with that in Mongolian lupine isolate and Russian red fox isolate.

CONCLUSIONRabies were observed in the dairy cow, beef cattle and canine in the farm in Inner Mongolia, in 2011, which led to a different etiologic characteristics of the epidemic situation.

Acetazolamide ; Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases ; epidemiology ; pathology ; Dog Diseases ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Dogs ; Mongolia ; epidemiology ; Nucleoproteins ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the situation of dog rabies and analyze it's relationship with human rabies.

METHODSIn Guizhou, Guangxi and Hunan provinces which suffered from rabies most heavily, one or two cities were selected respectively from regions with high-, middle-, low-incidence rate of human rabies as investigation spots where Dogs' brain specimens were collected and detected with both direct immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and RT-PCR.

RESULTSA total of 2887 specimens were collected and 66 of these were positive for IFA and RT-PCR. Therefore, the rate of positive specimens was 2.3%. However, there was not a close relationship in the incidence rate of dog rabies and human rabies.

CONCLUSIONDog's infection situation of rabies contributed to the severe epidemic of human rabies.

Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; virology ; China ; epidemiology ; Dog Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Dogs ; Humans ; Incidence ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification

To develop a specific, rapid, and convenient immunochromatography assay (ICA) to detect the rabies antibody in clinical sample from immuned dogs by rabies vaccine. Colloidal gold particles labeled with purified rabies virus (CVS11) were used as the detector reagent. The staphylococcal protein A (SPA) and pured rabbit anti-rabies virus IgG were blotted on the test and control regions of nitrocellulose membrane. Then the strip was assembled with sample pad, absorbing pad, and dorsal shield. The assay samples (261 dog's serum) were collected from Wildlife Rabies Disease Diagnostic Laboratories of Ministry of Agriculture in China, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences and other six provinces, including rabies virus positive and negative serum. The performance of the strip was compared to fluorescent antibody virus neutralization test. The neutralizing antibody titer could be detected above 0.5 IU. The strip did not change of performance when stored at room temperature for 12 months. It may offer reference of neutralizing antibody titer level after dogs immuned rabies vaccine and determin whether the dogs need to be immuned again.
Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; analysis ; blood ; Antibodies, Viral ; analysis ; blood ; Dogs ; Gold Colloid ; Immunochromatography ; methods ; Rabies ; prevention & control ; veterinary ; Rabies Vaccines ; immunology ; Rabies virus ; immunology ; Reagent Strips ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Vaccination

Chinese ferret badger (FB)-transmitted rabies is a serious threat to public health in southeast China. Although mostly associated with dogs, the rabies virus (RABV) presents genetic diversity and has a significantly wide host range in China. Instead of the dog- and wildlife-associated China II lineage in the past decades, the China I lineage has become the main epidemic group hosted and transmitted by dogs. In this study, four new lineages, including 43 RABVs from FBs, have been classified within the dog-dominated China I lineage since 2014. FB RABVs have been previously categorized in the China II lineage. Moreover, FB-hosted viruses seem to have become the main independent FB-associated clade in the phylogenetic tree. This claim suggests that the increasing genetic diversity of RABVs in FBs is a result of the selective pressure from coexisting dog rabies. FB transmission has become complicated and serious with the coexistence of dog rabies. Therefore, apart from targeting FB rabies, priority should be provided by the appropriate state agencies to perform mass immunization of dog against rabies.
Animals ; Brain ; virology ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Reservoirs ; veterinary ; virology ; Dog Diseases ; epidemiology ; transmission ; virology ; Dogs ; Ferrets ; virology ; Genetic Linkage ; Genetic Variation ; Phylogeny ; Phylogeography ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; transmission ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies virus ; genetics

Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Bites and Stings ; Dog Diseases ; virology ; Dogs ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nucleocapsid Proteins ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Post-Exposure Prophylaxis ; Rabies ; prevention & control ; veterinary ; virology ; Rabies Vaccines ; immunology ; Young Adult