Zhang Jian-Ming, Zhang Zhi-Shan, Deng Yan-Qin, Wu Shou-Li, Wang Wei, Yan Yan-Sheng
Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Quanzhou First Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No. 248 East Street, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, 362002, China.
School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, 350004, China.
BMC Infect Dis. 2017 Aug 30;17(1):599. doi: 10.1186/s12879-017-2698-9.
Rabies is a global fatal infectious viral disease that is characterized by a high mortality after onset of clinical symptoms. Recently, there has been an increase in the incidence of rabies in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of human rabies and characterize the rabies virus nucleoprotein gene in dogs sampled from Fujian Province, Southeast China from 2002 to 2012.
Data pertaining to human rabies cases in Fujian Province during the period from 2002 through 2012 were collected, and the epidemiological profiles were described. The saliva and brain specimens were collected from dogs in Quanzhou, Longyan and Sanming cities of the province, and the rabies virus antigen was determined in the canine saliva specimens using an ELISA assay. Rabies virus RNA was extracted from canine brain specimens, and rabies virus nucleoprotein gene was amplified using a nested RT-PCR assay, followed by sequencing and genotyping.
A total of 226 human rabies cases were reported in Fujian Province from 2002 to 2012, in which 197 cases were detected in three cities of Quanzhou, Longyan and Sanming. ELISA assay revealed positive rabies virus antigen in six of eight rabid dogs and 165 of 3492 seemingly healthy dogs. The full-length gene fragment of the rabies virus nucleoprotein gene was amplified from the brain specimens of seven rabid dogs and 12 seemingly healthy dogs. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed that these 19 rabies virus nucleoprotein genes all belonged to genotype I, and were classified into three genetic groups. Sequencing analysis showed a 99.7% to 100% intra-group and an 86.4% to 89.3% inter-group homology.
This study is the first description pertaining to the epidemiological characteristics of human rabies cases and characterization of the rabies virus nucleoprotein gene in dogs in Fujian Province, Southeast China. Our findings may provide valuable knowledge for the development of strategies targeting the prevention and control of rabies.
狂犬病是一种全球范围内的致命性传染性病毒疾病，其临床症状出现后死亡率很高。近年来，中国狂犬病发病率有所上升。本研究旨在调查中国东南部福建省2002年至2012年期间人狂犬病的发病率，并对犬类狂犬病病毒核蛋白基因进行特征分析。
收集福建省2002年至2012年期间人狂犬病病例的数据，并描述其流行病学特征。从该省泉州市、龙岩市和三明市的犬类中采集唾液和脑组织样本，采用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）法检测犬类唾液样本中的狂犬病病毒抗原。从犬类脑组织样本中提取狂犬病病毒RNA，采用巢式逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）法扩增狂犬病病毒核蛋白基因，随后进行测序和基因分型。
2002年至2012年福建省共报告226例人狂犬病病例，其中197例在泉州市、龙岩市和三明市这三个城市被检测到。ELISA检测显示，8只患狂犬病犬中有6只以及3492只看似健康的犬中有165只狂犬病病毒抗原呈阳性。从7只患狂犬病犬和12只看似健康的犬的脑组织样本中扩增出狂犬病病毒核蛋白基因的全长基因片段。序列比对和系统发育分析表明，这19个狂犬病病毒核蛋白基因均属于基因I型，并分为三个基因群。测序分析显示，群内同源性为99.7%至100%，群间同源性为86.4%至89.3%。
本研究首次描述了中国东南部福建省人狂犬病病例的流行病学特征以及犬类狂犬病病毒核蛋白基因的特征。我们的研究结果可能为制定狂犬病预防和控制策略提供有价值的信息。
