Immunofluorescent Techniques (FAT) and Clinical Findings for Diagnosis of Rabies in Domestic Animals

Rabies is a fatal Zoonotic disease, affecting animal species and human beings. The samples were collected from rabies-suspected cases that were catched for the animal birth control programme and died during post operative care and isolated dogs, some animal referred from the polyclinics and field for confirmatory diagnosis. The samples were collected by decapitation of brain with the help of 5 ml syringe. Total seventy nine samples were collected, out of 79 cases, 52, 8 15, 4 cases of dogs, buffaloes, cattle and goats examine respectively. The overall incidence of rabies was 87% in suspected cases of rabies. The FAT was employed as diagnostic technique. Characteristic apple green immunofluorescence was observed intra-cytoplasmic in neurons as well as in form of diffused fluorescence in the brain tissue smears. FAT is considered an accurate method for diagnosis of rabies and served as a gold standard for diagnosis of rabies. In cattle and buffaloes, important clinical signs of rabies were bellowing, anorexia, pyrexia and hyper salivation whereas, in dogs change in behaviour, aggressiveness and anorexia were the most common clinical signs.