The effect of rabies infection and vaccination on pregnancy in rats as animal model

Abstract EN

The effect of rabies infection and vaccination on pregnancy was investigated in different groups of pregnant rats as an animal model.

Intracerebral and intramuscular experimental infection with CVS rabies virus strain was applied on four pregnant rats groups at the middle (seven days after mating) and late stages of gestation (14 days after mating).

Subcutaneous rout vaccination of other three pregnant rat groups five to seven days before; seven and 14 days after mating with the inactivated cell culture local rabies vaccine.

Each group of infected rats showed clinical signs of rabies although their fetuses did not show any abnormalities.

Virus recovery from the placenta and fetuses from dead and sacrificed animals failed to induce rabies signs in mice inoculated intracerebrally with placenta and fetus suspensions while brains of infected dams; through the routes; revealed positive FA by using fluorescent antibody technique.

Vaccinated pregnant rats did not show any abnormalities with normal fetuses and good levels of specific rabies antibodies when estimated by serum neutralization test.

These findings indicate that rabies vaccination of pregnant animals is safe and it could be recommended to protect both of dams and their offspring in the first months