Use of the avidin-biotin peroxidase system to detect rabies antigen in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues.

We stained rabies-infected nervous and salivary-gland tissues fixed in formalin or acetone and embedded in paraffin with the avidin-biotin peroxidase system. With this system, rabies-virus antigen was detected in neurons, glandular acinar cells, and vascular endothelial cells more effectively than by immunofluorescence, especially when tissues were enzyme-digested with pronase before immunoperoxidase staining. The avidin-biotin peroxidase system should be useful for routine diagnosis, retrospective studies of rabies, and identification of specific cells involved in the spread of virus in rabies-infected hosts.