Abstract:
Rabies is a neglected disease mostly affecting the developing world. Accurate and reliable
diagnostic and surveillance data forms the foundation for the formulation and monitoring of
control strategies. Although various sensitive and specific tests are available for detection of
rabies virus, implementation of these tests in low-resource settings are challenging and
remains limited. In this study, we describe the developed of a reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification assay for the detection of rabies virus. The analytical sensitivity of this assay was determined to be 562 RNA copies and was performed in 20 minutes.
The diagnostic sensitivity of the RT-RPA was 100% for detection of rabies virus in field samples. In conclusion, the RT-RPA assay allowed for very quick and sensitive detection of
rabies virus and could be adapted for use in low-source settings.
