Rabies in a Wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou): A Case Study at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

Rabies causes the highest mortality of all viral diseases in the world unless the victim has been protected either by active immunization or post-exposure immunoprophylaxis. Infected stray dogs, raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats are the demonstrated carriers of most cases of rabies. It is difficult to diagnose a rabid animal in the field unless characteristic clinical signs are evident. However, this study used a commercial fast check kit comprised of immunochromatographic test (ICT) strips (ICTS) to diagnose rabies infection in clinically suspected samples obtained from a wildebeest. A 10-year old male wildebeest (approximate weight, 150 kg) died at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari (BSMS) Park, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh with a clinical history of severe excitation and abundant oral secretions. A gross pathological examination revealed no specific lesions indicating any fatal diseases. The entire brain was collected within 6 hours of death, and the brain sample was tested using the ICT strips following the manufacturer's directions. The rabies viral antibody was detected within the brain stem and medulla of the brain tissue of the dead wildebeest.