Pathological Study on Trigeminal Ganglionitis Among Rabid Dogs in the Philippines

• Published in: Veterinary sciences Vol. 12; no. 4; p. 299
• Main Authors: Iamohbhars, Nuttipa, Cabic, Alpha Grace B., Markbordee, Boonkanit, Shiina, Ryota, Tamura, Natsumi, Shiwa-Sudo, Nozomi, Kimitsuki, Kazunori, Espino, Mark Joseph M., Manalo, Daria Llenaresas, Inoue, Satoshi, Park, Chun-Ho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 24.03.2025; MDPI
• Subjects: Animal bites; Antibodies; Antigens; Axons; B cells; Bats; Brain damage; CD20 antigen; CD3 antigen; Dogs; Encephalitis; Ganglia; Ganglion cells; ganglionitis; Glial fibrillary acidic protein; Histocompatibility antigen HLA; histopathology; Immunization; Immunofluorescence; immunohistochemistry; Infections; Inflammation; Lesions; Lymphocytes; Lyssavirus; Macrophages; Nervous system; Neuritis; Neuronal-glial interactions; Nodules; Photonics; rabid dog; Rabies; Schwann cells; Stains & staining; Statistical analysis; Stellate cells; Trigeminal ganglion; Trigeminal nerve; Viruses; Zoonoses; Canada; United States; Japan; Philippines; Newfoundland and Labrador; United States > US; histopathology; trigeminal nerve; ganglionitis; immunohistochemistry; rabid dog
• ISSN: 2306-7381; 2306-7381
• DOI: 10.3390/vetsci12040299

The trigeminal nerve is the primary gateway through which the rabies virus enters the brain. Viral infection-related trigeminal neuritis is associated with certain clinical signs. This study investigated trigeminal ganglion histopathology in 92 rabid dogs. Trigeminal ganglionitis was classified into three pathological grades: mild, moderate, and severe. Immunostaining of selected sections was performed using antibodies against lymphocytes (CD3, CD20), stellate cells (glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP), macrophages (Iba-1, HLA-DR), ganglion cells (neurofilament, NF), and Schwann cells (S-100) to identify lesion cell types. In moderate and severe cases, double-immunofluorescence staining was performed to determine neuronophagia and Nageotte nodule cell types. Mild (13.0%) cases had minimal morphological changes in ganglion cells; moderate (56.5%) and severe (30.4%) cases showed infected ganglion cells and axons with degenerative necrosis, which were replaced by inflammatory cells. Immunohistochemically, viral antigens were detected in most ganglion cells in mild cases and were significantly reduced in severe cases. The number of CD3-, CD20-, GFAP-, and Iba-1-positive cells increased as the severity progressed, and neuronophagia and Nageotte nodules primarily comprised HLA-DR-positive cells. These findings suggest that the rabies virus reaches the trigeminal ganglion via ascending or descending routes and induces trigeminal neuropathological changes, contributing to neurological symptoms in rabid dogs.