Summary
Recent studies have reported the detection of rabies viral antigens and virions in astrocytes and microglia of rabies-infected animals. As a first step toward understanding whether these glial cells may be involved in rabies virus replication, persistence, and/or pathogenesis, we explored their potential to be infected in vitro. Primary cultures of murine, feline, and human microglia and astrocytes were infected with several different rabies viruses: two unpassaged street virus isolates, a cell culture-adapted strain, and a mouse brain-passaged strain. Infection, as determined by immunofluorescence, was detected in 15 of the 16 (94%) virus-glial cell combinations. Replication of infectious virus, determined by infectivity assay, was detected in 7 of the 8 (88%) virus-cell combinations. These results show that astrocytes and microglia can be infected by rabies viruses, suggesting that they may have a potential role in disease, perhaps contributing to viral spread, persistence and/or neuronal dysfunction.
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Accepted November 19, 1996 Received October 21, 1996
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Ray, N., Power, C., Lynch, W. et al. Rabies viruses infect primary cultures of murine, feline, and human microglia and astrocytes. Arch. Virol. 142, 1011–1019 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s007050050136
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s007050050136