Effect of animal age in the rabies animal model for Syrian golden hamsters

Rabies is a fatal disease, primarily found in canines, bats, foxes, raccoons and skunks worldwide. However, 99% of reported human cases are caused by canine transmission. In the wild, transmission primarily takes place through a bite wound of an infected animal via transfer of saliva. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system. Once infected and neurological clinical signs manifest, the viral infection is nearly 100% fatal. The scientific community continues to test pre-exposure prophylactic (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylactic (PEP) treatments to decrease the number of fatalities seen in animals, as well as in humans around the world. Here, we have tested live rabies virus (RABV) in Syrian golden hamsters (SGH) via the intramuscular route to mimic a typical rabies attack. The purpose of this study was to compare survival rates based on positive clinical signs of rabies of two age groups of SGH to determine which age group should be used in future PrEP and PEP rabies studies. If at least 80% of animals showed positive signs of rabies, the rabies challenge was deemed successful.