Intravital and postmortem laboratory diagnostics of hydrophobia clinical cases

Federal Scientific Centre VIEV” (FSC VIEV), 24/1, Ryazanskiy prospekt, 109428, Moscow, Russia

^* Corresponding author: vlad_belimenko@mail.ru

Abstract

Rabies excitant is a neurophilic virus (Rabiesvirus), regarding to Mononegavirales order, Rhabdoviridae family, Lyssavirus genus. The situation with rabies morbidity in Russia is characterized as extremely unpleasant. Saliva, tear liquid, patient’s cornea prints were used in the work as well as, after their death, various segments of brain and salivary glands were used. Additionally, antibody concentration in blood serum of humans passing antirabies therapy after animal bites were investigated. Research Research of eye cornea prints from patient A, suffered from wolf bite, with antibody fluorescent method showed positive result 6 days before the death. The obtained results were confirmed postmortem while the investigation of brain various segments and salivary glands with the use of antibody fluorescent spectroscopy and enzyme-linked analysis method, ELISA, and in biosamples. Intravital research of various biosamples picked from the patient B, suffered from homeless dog bite, showed the precedence of Virus 9 days before the death. Rabies virus antigen was discovered on the basis of research results of eye cornea prints with confocal spectroscopy, saliva samples - with ELISA method, as well as rabies virus genome in saliva and tear liquid was demonstrated with Nested Enzyme-Linked Analysis with Reverse Transcription (Nested RT-PCR). Intravital diagnostics results of hydrophobia patient were confirmed afterwards postmortem while the investigation of brain various segments with confocal fluorescence spectroscopy, ELISA, method and biopsy. Hydrophobia of injured was going on in clinically well-expressed manner. The results of intravital and postmortem laboratory diagnostics of hydrophobia clinical cases in Russian Federation were considered. These cases were the result of wolf and homeless dog bites. Both hydrophobia cases, caused by wild predator and dog bite, were laboratory confirmed yet during patient’s life. Introduction of intravital laboratory rabies diagnostics into medical practice is an important element of differential diagnostics.