Molecular Characterization of Canine Rabies Virus Strains Circulating in Mali

Rabies are one of the major zoonoses in Mali. The control this disease is based on use effective diagnostic techniques, management human cases after exposure and medical prophylaxis animals. Diagnosis usually made by detection viral antigen direct immunofluorescence (IF). Due to increasing variability genus Lyssavirus observed, it was found necessary a complementary technique, namely reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). objective present study assess performance IFD RT-PCR for diagnosis animal rabies Mali with view characterizing different strains identified at molecular level (gene virus nucleoprotein N). Thus, analysis forty (40) brain samples from dogs suspected having rabies, revealed 36 positive IFD, i.e. 90% 33 RT-PCR, 82.5.% concordance rate 82.5%. Analysis segment gene (N) showed that viruses circulating belong Africa 2 lineage (Africa 2). Statistical analyzes existence significant difference (P=0.001<0.005) between two techniques. shows usefulness complementarity tests as an alternative confirming rabies.