Diagnosis of rabies and typing strains of rabies virus

Post-mortem diagnosis of rabies is based on the detection of lesions (by means of histological techniques of relatively low sensitivity), viral antigen (direct immunofluorescence, immunoenzymology) or the pathogenicity of the virus in vivo (intracerebral inoculation of mice) or in vitro (inoculation of neuroblastoma). Differential diagnosis of strains of rabies virus is performed with the indirect immunofluorescence technique using monoclonal antibodies. This technique is helpful in determining both the origin of cases of rabies and appropriate control measures.