Histopathology and immunohistochemistry findings in kidney and urinary bladder of rabies virus-infected mice

Rabies virus (RABV) is a lethal and neglected zoonosis responsible for over 60,000 deaths annually caused by the neurotropic virus Lyssavirus rabies. Although rabies is well-known for its severe nervous system impairment, little is known regarding the specific alterations caused in extraneural organs. Studies suggest an essential involvement of RABV in the kidneys. However, the extent of the pathological damage caused by RABV in this organ remains to be understood. This study describes the histopathological alterations and RABV antigen expression in the kidneys and urinary bladder. Viral immunostaining was observed, suggesting that RABV can successfully infect these tissues. In addition, the main alterations found in the kidneys were edema in the convoluted tubules and in the glomerulus, interstitial inflammation, atrophy of the glomerular tuft, a decrease in Bowman's capsule and Bowman's space, and the accumulation of glycogen in the tubules, which may indicate the effects of inflammation caused by RABV. Therefore, our results showed the importance of understanding the effects of histopathological alterations induced by RABV and the need for more studies concerning the inflammatory action of the virus during the infection.