Lymphocyte subsets in human encephalitic and paralytic rabies.

Lymphocyte subsets of 7 patients with encephalitic and paralytic rabies were determined by immunocytochemical techniques using mouse monoclonal antibodies. Almost all patients had diminished mononuclear cells of Leu 7 phenotype (natural killer cells). Cells of Leu 12 marker (B cells) were decreased in 3 paralytic rabies patients compared with those of 4 patients in the encephalitic group.

Regional distribution of rabies viral antigen in central nervous system of human encephalitic and paralytic rabies.

We studied the distribution of rabies viral antigen in the brain and spinal cord of 7 patients with rabies by immunohistochemical techniques. Four patients presented with encephalitis, the remaining 3 had paralysis. Neither the rabies viral antigen distribution nor inflammation paralleled clinical presentations. Patients who had survival times of 7 days or less (4/7) had a greater amount of antigen-positive neurons in brainstem and spinal cord regardless of the clinical type. Neuroglial cells were also found to contain rabies antigen. Our findings suggest that virus localization may not account for the difference in clinical manifestations.

Immunologic study of human encephalitic and paralytic rabies. Preliminary report of 16 patients.

Lymphocyte proliferation tests to rabies antigen and myelin basic protein were performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes from nine patients with the encephalitic form and on seven with the paralytic form of human rabies. Six of the nine patients with encephalitis had proliferative responses to rabies antigen, whereas all of the patients with paralysis had no response. Two patients in each group also had a proliferative response to myelin basic protein. The myelin basic protein-reactive patients had a more rapidly fatal disease than the non-reactive patients. This preliminary study suggests that host immune responses may influence the clinical manifestations and course in human rabies.