Natural Rabies Infection in a Domestic Fowl (Gallus domesticus): A Report from India

Abstract

BackgroundRabies is a fatal encephalitis caused by viruses belonging to the genus Lyssavirus of the family Rhabdoviridae. It is a viral disease primarily affecting mammals, though all warm blooded animals are susceptible. Experimental rabies virus infection in birds has been reported, but naturally occurring infection of birds has been documented very rarely.Principal FindingsThe carcass of a domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus), which had been bitten by a stray dog one month back, was brought to the rabies diagnostic laboratory. A necropsy was performed and the brain tissue obtained was subjected to laboratory tests for rabies. The brain tissue was positive for rabies viral antigens by fluorescent antibody test (FAT) confirming a diagnosis of rabies. Phylogenetic analysis based on nucleoprotein gene sequencing revealed that the rabies virus strain from the domestic fowl belonged to a distinct and relatively rare Indian subcontinent lineage.SignificanceThis case of naturally acquired rabies infection in a bird species, Gallus domesticus, being reported for the first time in India, was identified from an area which has a significant stray dog population and is highly endemic for canine rabies. It indicates that spill over of infection even to an unusual host is possible in highly endemic areas. Lack of any clinical signs, and fewer opportunities for diagnostic laboratory testing of suspected rabies in birds, may be the reason for disease in these species being undiagnosed and probably under-reported. Butchering and handling of rabies virus- infected poultry may pose a potential exposure risk.

Subversion of the Immune Response by Rabies Virus

“…In recent years, it has been noted that new and emerging reservoir species for RABV have become evident and more problematic, thus posing a further risk to the human population. This has been most notable in raccoon and skunk rabies in North America [ 187 , 188 ], but is supported by the emergence of variants in other host species such as kudu in Namibia [ 189 ], among others, and the latest evidence of a natural infection of rabies in an avian species [ 190 ]. Furthermore, the increasing trend of the discovery of new rabies-related lyssaviruses over the past decades has resulted in an explosion of lyssavirus species globally, with little knowledge regarding their potential risk to human and animal lives [ 191 ].…”

Diagnostic difficulties in human rabies: A case report and review of the literature

“…Potentially, any mammal can develop rabies and there is one case report of a hen ( Gallus domesticus ) developing rabies after being bitten by a rabid dog. 4 Modes of inoculation of the virus other than bites include exposure through licks on broken skin or mucous membranes, aerosol transmission (bat-infested caves), and organ transplant. Following the introduction of the virus through the muscles as a result of a bite, the virus enters the nerve endings and travels through the axoplasmic flow towards the central nervous system (CNS).…”

Viral sequencing to inform the global elimination of dog-mediated rabies - a systematic review

“…Five subclades of the Asian clade (SEA1-SEA5) were found within Eastern and Southeast Asia [77][78][79][80] . The Indian Subcontinent clade was prevalent in South Asia [81][82][83][84] , with a few sequences from Western and Eastern Asia. While the Arctic-like clade was found in parts of Eastern [68,[85][86][87][88][89] and South Asia [21,58,81,[90][91][92][93][94][95] .…”