Pathogenesis of Rabies Virus Infection in Dogs: Do Dogs Recover from Clinical Rabies?

Dogs are the principal transmitter of rabies to man and animals in most countries of Africa, Asia and South America, where they are responsible for over 95% of the human rabies cases reported world-wide (WHO, 1989). The clinical course of rabies in dogs and that it could be transmitted by bite has been known for over 4000 years (Tierkel, 1975). After the virus is introduced to the body by bite or inoculation, it is assumed to remain at the site of entry for a long time (Baer and Cleary, 1972). The virus has been shown to replicate locally, prior to its centripetal transport to the brain (Baer and Cleary, 1972; Murphy and Bauer, 1974; Baer et al., 1968). During the transport period, specific rabies antibody is not detected before signs of illness appear, apparently because insufficient viral antigen is presented to key organs to trigger the immune system.