Imported case of equine rabies in Finland: Clinical course of the disease and the antigenic and genetic characterization of the virus

In June 2003, a horse imported to Finland from Estonia showed neurological signs suggestive of rabies. The rabies diagnosis was confirmed with a direct fluorescent antibody test, by isolating the virus in cell culture, by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and partial sequencing of the viral genome. The close relationship of the equine virus strain to the current Estonian strains was verified in subsequent molecular epidemiologic studies. Because the case was clearly imported, it did not affect Finlandʹs rabies-free status.