Ante-mortem diagnosis of rabies from body secretions and mucosal impression smears in experimentally infected buffalo calves

An experimental study was carried out on 9 buffalo calves that were divided into 3 groups of 3 buffalo calves each. In group 1, buffalo calves (2) were inoculated with 656865 MICLD(50) of Street Rabies Virus (SRV) via oral route. 5 ml of normal mice brain (NMB) suspension was inoculated via similar route to third buffalo calf which served as control of this group. In group 2, buffalo calves (2) were inoculated with 394119 MICLD50 of SRV via intra-thecal route. 3 ml of NMB suspension was inoculated via similar route to third buffalo calf which served as control of this group. In group 3, buffalo calves (2) were inoculated with SRV by instilling 131373 MICLD50 SRV in either eye. SRV could be detected earliest in salivary secretion, nasal secretion and rectal secretion at 15 days post-inoculation (DPI) in group 1,20 DPI in group 1 and 3 and 35 DPI in group 1 and 2 respectively. In corneal and prepucial impression smears, virus was found as early as 25 DPI in groups 3 and 35 DPI in groups 1 and 3, respectively. It is suggested that simple detection of rabies virus by immune-fluorescence from body secretions and impression smears from mucosal surfaces could be of ante-mortem diagnostic value in rabies.