Experimental rabies: ultrastructural quantitative analysis of the changes in the sciatic nerve.
To study the pathology of peripheral nerves in experimental rabies infection, street rabies virus ws inoculated into the right footpad of two groups of mice, A and B, which received, respectively, 10(4.5) LD50 and 10(3.5) LD50 of the virus. Paralysis was observed in 60% of animals of group A and 20% of group B. The main ultrastructural abnormality present in the sciatic nerves was degeneration of about 40% of myelinated axons. Only occasional unmyelinated axons were degenerated. Figures were similar for nerves of either side and for both groups. Frequency histograms of axonal diameter showed axons of all sizes to be altered in group A, whereas in group B there was tendency for larger axons to be damaged. Electron microscopy showed no typical bullet-shaped viral particles. Asymptomatic animals which received the higher dose of the inoculum showed a small (less than 1%) percentage of necrotic myelinated axons.
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D011818:Rabies / Q000473:pathology*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000648:ultrastructure*