WOAH Rabies Reference Laboratory Network’s (RABLAB) overview of LFD tests for field application

Rabies is a contagious and deadly disease caused by lyssaviruses that target the central nervous system. As there are no gross pathognomonic lesions or specific, consistent clinical signs, rabies cannot be reliably distinguished from other neurological infections based on clinical presentation alone. Therefore, confirmatory laboratory diagnosis is essential. International standards for rabies diagnosis are described in ‘Chapter 3.1.19. Rabies (infection with rabies virus and other lyssaviruses)’ of the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (Terrestrial Manual) by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).