Data from the laboratory and diagnostic control of rabies in Bulgaria
Bulgarian Medical Journal, 2025, 19(1), 55-60.
D. Ilieva1, R. Petrova1, E. Mileva2
1 NRL “Rabies and anthrax” ND&RVMI – Sofia
2 NRL “FDMC” ND&RVMI – Sofia
Abstract. Rabies is a zoonosis widespread throughout the world and is caused by neurotropic viruses of the genus Lyssavirus in the family Rhabdoviridae and the order Mononegavirales. In the infected individuals Lyssaviruses cause acute CNS infection and fatal encephalitis, which are diagnostically diffi cult to distinguish from those caused by the “classic” rabies virus (RABV). On the basis of nucleotide sequences and the nucleoprotein gene (N), 17 species of Lyssaviruses have been diff erentiated at this stage. In connection with the surveillance of rabies in the Republic of Bulgaria in 2021-2023, screening tests were carried out on 3947 animals of the order Carnivora and of the order Chiroptera using the Direct Fluorescence Antibody Test (DFAT). For the fi rst time in the country, 27 suspicious animals were investigated using the TaqMan RT-PCR method to detect RNA genotypes; Lys-Gt1, Lys-Gt5 and Lys-Gt6. In the current study, no incidents of rabies in Bulgaria were proven.
Key words: rabies, DFAT, TaqMan® RT-PCR, Bulgaria
Address for correspondence: Prof. Darinka Ilieva, PhD, e-mail: