Negri Bodies in Rabid Dog: Light and Electron Microscopic Findings

Park, Eon Sub; Park, Young Uk; Yoo, Jae Hyung; Song, Kye Yong; Chi, Je G

Abstract

Rabies is a fetal viral encephalitis to which all mammals, including man are susceptible. This virus, the genus of Rhabdovirus, is usually present in the saliva of infected animals and is transmitted by their bite. As a rule the virus enter the CNS by ascending along peripheral nervous system and extremely variable in extent. Negri bodies are appear in about 75% of cases. These bodies are eosinophilic, usually rounded inclusions and is located in the cystoplasm of the neurons, most frequently in the pyramidal neurons of the Hippocampus and the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. We have experienced a case of canine rabies that showed Negri bodies in the Purkinje cells along with diffuse degenerative encephalitis and perivascular mononuclear cells infiltration. The Negri bodies were best demonstrated by Negri body staining although routine H-E staind was also useful. There inclusion bodies were located exclusively in the cytoplasm, and were found occasionally. Electron microscopic findings of the Negri bodies showed aggregates of bulletshaped nucleocapsids. We report a Negri body found in the brain of rabid dog with the light and electron microscopic findings.