How to Get Tested for Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease usually resulting from the bite of an infected animal. The virus affects the central nervous system and can result in death. Early treatment is vital, even if there is only an assumption that the bite is from a rabid animal. Rabies is easier to diagnose postmortem, though there are tests to diagnose rabies in humans after symptoms appear.

Instructions

• 1

  Expect diagnosis in humans and animals to be difficult. Examination of brain tissue postmortem (after death) is the easiest way to tell if the rabies virus is present. There are several tests on specific samples taken from the body, whose combined results may help to diagnose human rabies. There is no single definitive test to diagnose rabies ante-mortem (before death).

• 2

  Anticipate the collection of saliva and cerebrospinal fluid, along with a punch biopsy at the back of the neck along the hairline, which includes at least 10 hair follicles. A series of tests performed on these samples, including the direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test which detects the rabies virus in the affected area, and the polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR), which detects the DNA of the rabies virus proteins in saliva, cerebrospinal fluid and tissue, will help determine whether the rabies virus or rabies antibodies exist.

• 3

  Conclude that the rabies virus is present if the rabies antigen is present in the skin biopsy or corneal smears, isolation of the rabies virus in serum or tissue is evident, there is a presence of rabies antibodies in serum or cerebrospinal fluid, or if there is a positive PCR assay.

• 4

  Take into account that negative results from these test don't rule out the existence of a rabies infection. Testing to confirm the existence of the rabies virus may be negative until further into the infection process.