The effect of an attenuated rabies virus SRV₉ on suckling mouse growth after intracerebral inoculation

Rabies virus is a kind of virus having strict neurotropic property. Intracerebral inoculation method was commonly used to RV-related research. SRV₉ is an attenuated RV vaccine strain. In the present study, we inoculated intracerebrally on suckling mouse with SRV₉ strain. The results showed that SRV₉ could cause a mortality rate of 100% on suckling mice below 13 day old. The mortality rates of 14-17 day old mice were 68, 33, 33 and 17%, respectively without incidence above 18 day old. Meanwhile, the results showed that the growth of survival suckling mice was inhibited remarkably after intracerebral inoculation SRV₉. The 16 day old survival suckling mice were chosen to perform body weight test and the result showed that the weight growth was very slow with 14% less than normal growth rate. However, 2 weeks latter the weight of the mice began to recover gradually but slowly. It was suggested that the intracerebral RV reproduction could take a significant effect on the growth and development of the mice and with RV being eliminated by antibody, the weight of the mice which were inoculated with SRV₉ could gradually recover.