Detection and molecular characterization of rabies virus isolates from humans in Cameroon

Abstract

Despite the enzootic cycle of rabies in dog populations, laboratory confirmation of human rabies has been hardly reported in Cameroon. This study aimed to determine the rate of molecular detection and phylogenetic relatedness of Rabies Virus (RABV) isolates from suspected human rabies cases in Cameroon. From 2014 to 2018, 21 suspected human rabies cases were tested for RABV genomic RNA. Full-length sequence of the nucleoprotein (N) coding gene of RABV isolates detected were generated and subjected to phylogenetic analyses. As results, skin biopsies and/or saliva samples from 10 of the 21 suspected human rabies cases were positive for genomic RABV RNA. Four new N gene sequences were generated from confirmed cases. The studied RABV isolates fell into the Cosmopolitan clades, sub-clades Africa-1a and 1b. This study showed a low rate of molecular detection of RABV in suspected human rabies cases; thus, underscoring the interest of systematic laboratory confirmation.