Rabies Diagnosis by Fluorescent Antibody. I—Its Evaluation in a Public Health Laboratory

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Abstract
An evaluation of the use of fluorescent antibody techniques in comparison with conventional studies for the routine diagnosis of rabies in animals was made. Included are a description of the methods for the preparation of the fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled antirabies serum; for treatment and processing of brain specimens; for the staining of smears and the interpretation of results. The Fluorescent Rabies Antibody (FRA) Test was in complete agreement with the results of standard mouse inoculation tests on a total of 885 brain specimens examined. No such agreement was obtained with a conventional method of Negri body examination. The FRA test which combines the speed of histological techniques with the sensitivity and specificity of biological assay is proven to be a new and valuable adjunct to the armamentarium of the rabies diagnostician.