CELL CULTURE AS THE MOST CERTAIN WAY OF DIAGNOSIS IN RABIES INFECTION

Abstract

Rabies is a zoonotic disease that causes progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. This disease is still widespread in the world and is a social and economic burden in many countries. Rabies is estimated to cause 60.000 human deaths annually in over 150 countries, with 95% of cases occurring in Africa and Asia. Several countries in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, have become one of the endemic areas for rabies. The diagnosis of rabies infection in animals and humans can be made by histopathology, virus cultivation, serology, and virus antigen detection This paper discusses cell culture as a method in the diagnosis of rabies. This paper is a literature review through a literature search in scientific journals and research reports that explains the various studies on the isolation of Rabies virus in cell culture, cell types used, and the technique in diagnosing Rabies infection in cell culture. The diagnosis of rabies can be made by neuroblastoma cells, BHK-21 cell lines, HEK-293 cell lines, and others. It can be concluded that the diagnosis of Rabies virus can be done on several cell lines and needs to be followed by other tests. The nature of rabies disease dictates that laboratory tests be standardized, rapid, sensitive, specific, economical, and reliable.