Ante-mortem diagnosis of human rabies by the skin biopsy technique: three case reports from Zimbabwe.

Three cases of human rabies were diagnosed antemortem by the skin biopsy technique. The skin biopsies were taken from the nape of the neck and processed by cryosectioning and staining using the direct fluorescent antibody test (FAT). Rabies antigen was demonstrated in the network of nerve fibres surrounding the hair follicles. As the skin biopsy technique is relatively simple and cheap to perform it could be a practical technique for use in African countries, where it is not routinely used in the diagnosis of rabies in humans.