Quantitative determination of the dissemination of Flury rabies virus in the central nervous system of the guinea-pig after intramuscular inoculation in the hind leg

Summary

A quantitative determination was made of the virus content of the different portions of the central nervous system of guinea-pigs, inoculated with the Flury strain of rabies virus in the muscles of the hind leg. The titration was carried out by intracranial inoculation into mice with material obtained from guinea-pigs killed at various intervals during the incubation period and during the clinical disease and also from guinea-pigs which had succumbed to the infection. The results demonstrate that the virus first multiplies in the lumbosacral cord and afterwards spreads in the direction of the brain. The virus concentration however, remains at any time higher in the lumbosacral cord, being the first to be invaded; this is found during the incubution period, as well as during the paralytic stage and after death.