Natural infection of rabies virus on dogs: pathomorphological and immunohistochemical study

Abstract

Rabies is a zoonotic disease that remains a big problem in public health sector in Indonesia. The pathomorphological and antigen distribution of street rabies virus infection of the dogs brain from endemic area in Indonesia need for further investigation. The aim of this study was to describe macroscopical, histopathological and antigen distribution of rabid dogs which is infected with rabies virus naturally. Fourteen brains of stray rabid dogs from Disease Investigation Centre Bukittinggi area were used as samples. Conformatory diagnosed based on direct fluorescence antibody technique test. Hyperemic meningeal blood vessels were consistently found in all samples, sometimes associated with multiple ptechie and cerebral edema. Histopathological changes showed mild non-suppuratif meningoencephalitis with perivascullar cuffing surrounded by lymphocyte cells, associated with gliosis. Negri bodies were found in neuron cytoplasms in all samples mainly localized in pyramidal cells of cornua ammons of hippocampus and cerebral cortex, while neuronal degeneration and necrosis were mild. Viral antigens localized in perikaryon extending along the dendrites and axon and mostly localized on pyramidal cells of hippocampus, talamus and frontal lobes of cerebral cortex. Rabies antigen were also detected in epithelial cells of mucogenic acini of mandibulary glands and mildly in granular of striated duct of luminal parotidal glands. This study suggested that frontal lobes of cerebral cortex and mandibulary glands could be used as samples for rabies test in laboratory besides hippocampus.