Epidemiological and Genetic Diversity of Rabies Virus in Human Cases in Thailand, 2017−2024
Keywords:
Molecular epidemiology, Rabies virus, Phylogenetic analysis, Human cases, ThailandAbstract
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral zoonotic disease. Once symptoms appear, the fatality rate in humans approaches 100%. The global organizations developed a strategic plan to prevent human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies by 2030. More than 250 animal-confirmed rabies cases were reported in Thailand in 2024. Thailand has limited information on the genetic diversity of rabies virus in humans. The objective of the study is to investigate the molecular epidemiology in human suspected rabies cases in Thailand by finding the prevalent and genetic diversity from 2017 to 2024, 132 human suspected rabies cases were sent to diagnostics at NIH-Thailand. 41 (31.06%) cases were positive for the disease. Of these, 33 (80.49%) were positive by nested RT-PCR and were successfully sequenced for molecular epidemiological analysis. Partial nucleoprotein (N) gene of rabies virus were amplified by nested RT-PCR and were characterized by sequencing. A phylogenetic tree was constructed to correspond with geographic data by the neighbour-joining method. All 33 N rabies sequences formed a monophyletic tree of two distinct phylogroups, A and B. Four subgroups were identified in the phylogroup A and were distributed in the eastern, northern, upper, and lower northeastern regions. The phylogroup B was only distributed in the southern region of Thailand. The genetic study revealed a correlation between patients travel routes and genotypic of virus. This study provides epidemiological and genetic information on rabies in humans, derived from human cases across multiple years in Thailand, that support for surveillance guideline and rabies elimination programs.
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