ABSTRACT
Our understanding of the spread of viruses within the central nervous system (CNS) tissue largely depends on the localization of viral antigens in experimental animals revealed by immunohistochemical methods and visualization of virus particles electron microscopically. Since publication of the first edition of this book many advances have been made in immunological techniques for demonstrating viral antigens. The classical immunofluorescence technique on frozen sections has mostly been replaced by such immunohistochemical techniques as the peroxidase-antiperioxidase (PAP) and auidin-biotin-complex (ABC) methods. Application of the sensitive ABC method to paraffin sections permits the detection of minute amounts of viral antigens, and facilitates the identification of antigen-positive cells. Ultrastructural studies on animal and human rabies have also resulted in new information on the replication and spread of rabies within the CNS.
