OBJECTIVETo understand the rabies virus (RABV) evolutionary relationship between the strains of China and Asia and to know the evolution and transmission characteristics of RABV in Asia.

METHODSThe G sequences of representative strains from China were selected and combined the sequences of other countries in Asia to analyze using BEAST and MigraPhyla software.

RESULTSThe phylogenetic analysis showed that six groups (China I-VI) of China had different epidemic range: China I , II and V groups just cycled in our country; China VI group, from Guangxi and Yunnan provinces, crossed with Southeast Asian strains; China III group and IV group also have closer genetic relationship with Asian country strains.

CONCLUSIONGeographic migration in Asia showed that Thailand and India may be two rabies transmission centers in Asia.

Asia ; Evolution, Molecular ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Rabies ; transmission ; Rabies virus ; genetics

Genes, Viral ; Rabies virus ; classification ; genetics ; Serotyping

Genetic Engineering ; Humans ; Rabies ; virology ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Viral Proteins ; genetics ; Virulence

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

OBJECTIVE: Preliminary assessment of rabies virus neutralizing activity, safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant human rabies antibody (NM57) compared with human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) in Chinese healthy adults. METHODS: Subjects were randomly (1:1:1) allocated to Groups A (20 IU/kg NM57), B (40 IU/kg NM57), or C (20 IU/kg HRIG). One injection was given on the day of enrollment. Blood samples were collected on days -7 to 0 (pre-injection), 3, 7, 14, 28, and 42. Adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs (SAEs) were recorded over a period of 42 days after injection. RESULTS: All 60 subjects developed detectable rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (RVNAs) (> 0.05 IU/mL) on days 3, 7, 14, 28, and 42. The RVNA levels peaked on day 3 in all three groups, with a geometric mean concentration (GMC) of 0.2139 IU/mL in Group A, 0.3660 IU/mL in Group B, and 0.1994 IU/mL in Group C. At each follow-up point, the GMC in Group B was significantly higher than that in Groups A and C. The areas under the antibody concentration curve over 0-14 days and 0-42 days in Group B were significantly larger than those in Groups A and C. Fifteen AEs were reported. Except for one grade 2 myalgia in Group C, the other 14 were all grade 1. No SAEs were observed. CONCLUSION The rabies virus neutralizing activity of 40 IU/kg NM57 was superior to that of 20 IU/kg NM57 and 20 IU/kg HRIG, and the rabies virus neutralizing activity of 20 IU/kg NM57 and 20 IU/kg HRIG were similar. Safety was comparable between NM57 and HRIG.
Adult ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Antibodies, Viral ; Data Collection ; Humans ; Rabies/prevention & control* ; Rabies Vaccines/adverse effects* ; Rabies virus/genetics*

PURPOSE: Rabies viruses (RABV) circulating worldwide in various carnivores occasionally cause fatal encephalitis in swine. In this study, the safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant rabies virus, the ERAGS strain constructed with a reverse genetics system, was evaluated in domestic pigs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Growing pigs were administered 1 mL (108.0 FAID50/mL) of the ERAGS strain via intramuscular (IM) or oral routes and were observed for 4 weeks' post-inoculation. Three sows were also inoculated with 1 mL of the ERAGS strain via the IM route. The safety and immunogenicity in swine were evaluated using daily observation and a virus-neutralizing assay (VNA). Fluorescent antibody tests (FAT) for the RABV antigen and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays for the detection of the nucleocapsid (N) gene of RABV were conducted with brain tissues from the sows after necropsy. RESULTS: The growing pigs and sows administered the ERAGS strain did not exhibit any clinical sign of rabies during the test period test and did develop VNA titers. The growing pigs inoculated with the ERAGS strain via the IM route showed higher VNA titers than did those receiving oral administration. FAT and RT-PCR assays were unable to detect RABV in several tissues, including brain samples from the sows. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the ERAGS strain was safe in growing pigs and sows and induced moderate VNA titers in pigs.
Administration, Oral ; Brain ; Encephalitis ; Nucleocapsid ; Rabies virus* ; Rabies* ; Reverse Genetics ; Sus scrofa ; Swine* ; Vaccines

OBJECTIVETo establish a molecular diagnostic method for rabies virus(RV) based on TaqMan PCR.

METHODSBaseD on the rabies virus nucleoprotein gene sequences published in GenBank, RV specific primers and probe were designed by Primer Premier 5.0. The primers and probe were optimized and the sensitivity, specificity,and reproducibility of the system were tested. Quantitative standard curve of RV TaqMan PCR was established. Some RV samples were detected using this system.

RESULTSThe optimized primers and probe were 0.6 micromol/L and 0.2 micromol/L. Reproducibility test showed that coefficient variables were all less than 5% in 4 different system. Quantification standard curve based on the genomic copy was drawn. RV detection using the established method proved that TaqMan PCR was more sensitive and easier performed than traditional RT-PCR.

CONCLUSIONTaqMan PCR for RV detection had been established, which was more sensitive and specific than the general RT-PCR.

Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Rabies ; diagnosis ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Taq Polymerase

OBJECTIVETo observe the existence and location of the recombinant rabies virus in the hippocampus of the sulking mice infected recombinant rabies virus.

METHODA group of one-day-old sulking mice and 4-week-old mice were challenged with the CTN-GFP strain by intracerebral inoculation, frozen longitudinal transect sections of hippocampus were prepared from the suckling mice in order to observe the expression of the GFP protein and the location of the recombinant rabies virus.

RESULTSDAPI was performed to stain the cell nuclei in blue while GFP expression from CTN-GFP infected brain cells was observed under a confocal microscope.

CONCLUSIONThe location of the rabies virus can be clearly observed by preparing frozen section of certain sites from the brain, and this method also provide a new tool to trace the route of spread of the rabies virus within the animal host.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain ; virology ; Cryoultramicrotomy ; Female ; Mice ; Rabies ; pathology ; virology ; Rabies virus ; genetics ; metabolism

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

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between the distribution of rabies virus and genetic variation, the genetic characterization and variation of rabies virus strains in China were analyzed.

METHODSThe downstream 720 nucleotides of Nucleoprotein (N) gene coding region of the rabies specimens from different areas and host animals were sequenced, and then homology and phylogenesis were analyzed.

RESULTSNucleotide similarities of 34 N gene sequences were 87.5%-100%, and the deduced amino acid similarities were 93.3%-99.6%. Most of the nucleotide variations were synonymous mutations.

CONCLUSIONThe 34 rabies specimens all belong to genotype I and are of regional characteristic. The rabies viruses in high-incidence areas in China are of various origins and present the transmission tendency from high-incidence areas to surrounding regions. There may be cross-infection and mutual spread of rabies virus between wildlife and domestic animals as well as native and foreign animals.

Animals ; China ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Nucleoproteins ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Rabies ; virology ; Rabies virus ; classification ; genetics