Full genome analysis of rabies virus from a dog
Full genome sequence of a rabies virus from a dog that had been imported from Russia in November 2025 and was reportedly clinically healthy at the time of entry. On 24 January 2026, the dog developed anorexia and was admitted to a veterinary clinic, where surgical removal of a foreign body was performed. While still hospitalized, the dog lost two primary (deciduous) teeth after aggressively biting the cage bars. Due to suspicion of rabies, the animal was placed in quarantine on 25 January, where it died in the night of 26 January 2026. While the initial direct fluorescent antibody testing (FAT) by the State Laboratory of Rhineland-Palatinate yielded negative results on 28 January, virus isolation in cell culture subsequently confirmed rabies, which was further verified by real-time RT-qPCR on 10 February 2026.
Full genome sequence of a rabies virus from a dog that had been imported from Russia in November 2025 and was reportedly clinically healthy at the time of entry. On 24 January 2026, the dog developed anorexia and was admitted to a veterinary clinic, where surgical removal of a foreign body was performed. While still hospitalized, the dog lost two primary (deciduous) teeth after aggressively biting the cage bars. Due to suspicion of rabies, the animal was placed in quarantine on 25 January, where it died in the night of 26 January 2026. While the initial direct fluorescent antibody testing (FAT) by the State Laboratory of Rhineland-Palatinate yielded negative results on 28 January, virus isolation in cell culture subsequently confirmed rabies, which was further verified by real-time RT-qPCR on 10 February 2026.
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut