The diversity of rabies virus in Russia demonstrated by anti-nucleocapsid monoclonal antibody application and limited gene sequencing.

A comparative analysis of anti-nucleocapsid monoclonal antibody (N-mAb) reaction profiles and DNA sequences was performed on 97 selected rabies virus (RABV) isolates from Russia and neighbouring states. A panel of 73 N-mAb from the Wistar Institute (Philadelphia, PA, USA), Veterinary Laboratories Agency (Weybridge, UK) and P-41 (Tübingen, Germany) was used. The sequence of a 400 bp fragment of the N gene was generated for all available isolates and a phylogenetic analysis of the fragment was carried out. The results of genetic and antigenic typing were in concordance, except for a few deviations. Three RABV variants with distinct antigenic patterns corresponded to well characterised genetic groups. The phylogenetic analysis also allowed the discrimination of RABVs with similar antigenic profiles originating from distant geographical locations in Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union. In some instances, more than one specific antigenic variant was detected within a phylogenetic group. A number of antigenic and genetic variants were associated with a specific host species (such as red fox, raccoon dog, wolf or polar fox) in different parts of Russia. A single, antigenically divergent, P-41-positive, rodent isolate from Siberia was described.