Animals 2011, 1(4), 402-413; doi:10.3390/ani1040402
Article

Investigation of an Imported Case of Rabies in a Juvenile Dog with Atypical Presentation

Nicholas Johnson 1,* email, Alex Nunez 2 email, Denise A. Marston 1 email, Graeme Harkess 1 email, Katja Voller 1 email, Trudy Goddard 1 email, Daniel Hicks 2 email, Lorraine M. McElhinney 1 email and Anthony R. Fooks 1,3 email
1 Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-Borne Diseases Research Group, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Woodham Lane, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK 2 Pathology and Host Susceptibility Department, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Woodham Lane, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK 3 National Consortium for Zoonosis Research, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Chester High Road, Neston CH64 7TE, UK
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 8 October 2011; in revised form: 2 November 2011 / Accepted: 15 November 2011 / Published: 18 November 2011
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zoonotic Diseases of Companion Animals)
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Abstract: Movement of dogs between rabies-endemic and rabies-free countries carries the inherent risk of introducing the disease. In April of 2008, a juvenile dog was imported to the UK from Sri Lanka. It died shortly after transfer to a quarantine facility in the south-east of England following a short history of diarrhoea and convulsions but no overt signs of aggression. Subsequent investigation confirmed that rabies was the cause of death. Rabies virus was isolated from brain samples taken from the dog and the subsequent phylogenetic investigation confirmed that the genomic sequence from this virus shared over 99% homology with endemic rabies viruses from Sri Lanka. Histological examination of the brain demonstrated clear signs of encephalitis and rabies antigenic labeling in numerous neurons. In this particular case, Negri bodies were absent. As this case was diagnosed in a quarantine facility, the ‘rabies-free’ status of the UK was un-affected.
Keywords: rabies virus; dog; quarantine; Sri Lanka

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Johnson, N.; Nunez, A.; Marston, D.A.; Harkess, G.; Voller, K.; Goddard, T.; Hicks, D.; McElhinney, L.M.; Fooks, A.R. Investigation of an Imported Case of Rabies in a Juvenile Dog with Atypical Presentation. Animals 2011, 1, 402-413.

AMA Style

Johnson N, Nunez A, Marston DA, Harkess G, Voller K, Goddard T, Hicks D, McElhinney LM, Fooks AR. Investigation of an Imported Case of Rabies in a Juvenile Dog with Atypical Presentation. Animals. 2011; 1(4):402-413.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Johnson, Nicholas; Nunez, Alex; Marston, Denise A.; Harkess, Graeme; Voller, Katja; Goddard, Trudy; Hicks, Daniel; McElhinney, Lorraine M.; Fooks, Anthony R. 2011. "Investigation of an Imported Case of Rabies in a Juvenile Dog with Atypical Presentation." Animals 1, no. 4: 402-413.

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