Use of a Rapid Skin Biopsy Technique for Human Rabies Antemortem Diagnosis

After replication in the central nervous system (CNS), lyssaviruses progress centrifugally to a wide variety of innervated tissues. Peripheral nerves in hair follicles within the dermis are one potential target that may be used for antemortem diagnosis. The direct fluorescent antibody test may be utilized to detect lyssavirus antigens in the skin by the use of a cryostat to cut thin frozen sections of human biopsy specimens. When properly performed, the test is a rapid method for confirmation of rabies in cases of encephalitis.