Light-microscopical diagnosis of rabies. A reappraisal.
The validity of reports suggesting that Lyssa and Negri bodies are non-specific in the light-microscopical diagnosis of rabies was investigated. With Seller's impression technique, a substantial proportion of speciments found to be non-rabid with the fluorescent-antibody technique showed structures indistinguishable from Lyssa or Negri bodies. Neither histological examination nor inoculation of animals with non-rabid Seller-positive material explained the nature of these rabies-like structures. The simplicity and reliability of the fluorescent-antibody technique and the occasional serious complications of prophylactic anti-rabies measures make the diagnostic use of Seller's method at best undesirable and at worst dangerous.
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000382:microbiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D004285:Dogs; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007181:Inclusion Bodies, Viral; D051379:Mice; D011818:Rabies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000662:veterinary; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D013194:Staining and Labeling