Table 1. Description of Biological Samples Analyzed for Molecular Diagnosis of Human Rabies in Large Cohorts of Suspected or Confirmed Rabid Patients in Local Laboratory Conditions.
| Samples | Technique (Target Gene) | Reference | Country Where the Study Was Performed | Sensitivity (Number of Samples tested) | Commentary |
| Saliva | RT-hnPCR(L gene) | [3] | France, Madagascar, Cambodia | 70.2% (n = 84) | A sensitivity of 100% was observed for three serial daily saliva samples per patient with encephalitic rabies.Liquid saliva (a volume of 200 µL for analysis) is preferable to saliva swab. |
| RT-PCR(N gene) | [16] | France | 30% (n = 37) | A volume of 200 µL was used for analysis. A proteinase K lysis step was included. | |
| NASBA(N gene) | [4], [5] | Thailand | 75.8% (n = 62) | A volume of 200 µL was used for analysis. | |
| RT-nPCR(N gene) | [17] | India | 37.5% (n = 24) | Pool of three saliva samples collected at intervals of 4–5 h.Confirmation of rabies with reference technique (FAT) is not mentioned in this study. | |
| RT-qPCR (SYBR Green)(N gene) | [17] | India | 75% (n = 24) | Pool of three saliva samples collected at intervals of 4–5 h.Confirmation of rabies with reference technique (FAT) is not mentioned in this study. | |
| Skin biopsy | RT-hnPCR(L gene) | [3] | France, Madagascar, Cambodia | 98.3% (n = 60) | Collected at the nape of the neck, containing hair follicles.A sensitivity of 100% (n = 33) was obtained at hospital admission and 97.2% (n = 36) at hospital discharge or death. |
| RT-PCR(N gene) | [7] | Brazil | 70% (n = 10) | Most neck-skin biospy samples were collected post-mortem (8/10). | |
| Extracted hair | NASBA(N gene) | [4], [5] | Thailand | 50% (n = 26) | At least 20 hairs have to be collected. |
| Urine | RT-hnPCR(L gene) | [3] | France, Madagascar, Cambodia | 9.5% (n = 63) | The difference in sensitivity found in these studies seems to be due to difference of volume of tested samples.At least 1 mL has to be collected and analyzed (as amount of viral RNA found in this samples is low). |
| NASBA(N gene) | [4], [5] | Thailand | 39% (n = 41) | ||
| CSF | RT-PCR(N gene) | [16] | France | 8% (n = 12) | A volume of 200 µL was used for analysis. A proteinase K lysis step was included. |
| NASBA(N gene) | [4], [5] | Thailand | 43.3% (n = 30) | A volume of 200 µL was used for analysis. |
FAT, fluorescent antibody test; hnPCR, hemi-nested PCR; L, polymerase; N, nucleoprotein; NASBA, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification; nPCR, nested-PCR; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; qPCR, real-time PCR; RT, reverse transcription.