Use of mouse anti-rabies monoclonal antibodies in postexposure treatment of rabies.

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Abstract

Immunization of mice and hamsters with a cocktail of mouse MAbs specific for rabies virus nucleocapsid protein and glycoprotein protected animals not only when challenged with a lethal dose of rabies virus after immunization, but also in post-exposure situations. Hamsters treated with the MAb cocktail 3 h after virus inoculation were completely protected from lethal rabies virus infection, and 80% of the animals survived when the MAb cocktail was given 36 h after virus challenge. The potential usefulness of this MAb cocktail for the postexposure treatment of human rabies is discussed.

Authors

C L Schumacher, B Dietzschold, H C Ertl, H S Niu, C E Rupprecht, H Koprowski