Study: Comprehensive Antemortem testing key to detecting human rabies early

Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Dec 10: A 35-year U.S. analysis has found that human rabies often goes undetected because patients are not consistently tested before death and, when they are, limited sampling reduces the chances of confirming infection. The study emphasises that collecting all four recommended antemortem sample types—saliva, nuchal skin, serum and cerebrospinal fluid—across the course of illness is crucial for accurate diagnosis.

The investigation reviewed 69 confirmed human rabies cases reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) between 1990 and 2024. A total of 382 antemortem samples were analysed, and diagnostic performance was assessed based on sample type and timing. The median time from symptom onset to the first positi