New method detects rabies virus directly from dog-bite wounds, offering breakthrough for Surveillance  

A pioneering study conducted at The Indus Hospital & Health Network, Karachi, in collaboration with Erasmus Medical Centre, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has introduced a novel, minimally invasive method for detecting rabies virus directly from dog-bite wounds, providing a new tool for tracking the disease in high-risk regions.

The prospective cohort study was led by Carmen W. E. Embregts, Naseem Salahuddin, M. Aftab Gohar, Corine H. GeurtsvanKessel , and their multidisciplinary teams from Pakistan and the Netherlands. The research team evaluated 100 patients with fresh, high-risk (WHO Category III), unwashed dog-bite wounds and applied advanced PCR-based techniques on wound swabs.

The study found rabies virus RNA in a significant proportion of wounds—up to 64% using genotype-specific PCR—indicating direct viral exposure at the site of injury. The study also highlights the critical importance of immediate wound care. Swabs taken after washing showed a significant reduction in viral presence, reinforcing that thorough washing with soap and water should be the first step after any animal bite. However, viral RNA was still detected in many cases after washing alone, underscoring that post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) remains essential and cannot be skipped.

Genetic analysis confirmed that all detected viruses belonged to locally circulating rabies lineages in Pakistan, offering important insights into regional transmission patterns. Additionally, all patients in the study received WHO-recommended treatment, including intradermal vaccination and infiltration of rabies immunoglobulin into deep wounds. Encouragingly, 93% developed protective antibody levels within two weeks, confirming that the one-week intradermal vaccination schedule with a quality vaccine is effective in preventing rabies.

Together, these findings highlight urgent priorities for rabies control. The high level of viral circulation in Karachi underscores the need to rapidly scale up dog vaccination campaigns and strengthen dog population management. At the same time, the study demonstrates that PCR-based testing of bite-wound swabs can serve as a minimally invasive, effective tool for improving rabies surveillance and generating much-needed data in endemic areas.

Public awareness also remains critical. Immediate and thorough wound washing with soap and water should be widely promoted as the first response to any animal bite, followed by prompt access to life-saving post-exposure treatment.

By combining improved awareness, surveillance, expanded prevention efforts, and timely treatment, these measures provide a clear, actionable pathway aligned with the goal of the World Health Organization and its partners to achieve zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030.

Link of full article:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396426001325