The Pathology of Rabies in the Central Nervous System

In spite of the dramatic neurologic symptoms seen in individuals or animals suffering from the late stages of rabies there are few grossly visible alterations of the central nervous system (CNS). Congestion of the leptomeningeal blood vessels is usually the only externally visible abnormality of the brain. Although the leptomeningeal congestion may be quite marked, frank subarachnoid hemorrhage is rarely seen. Clouding of the meninges has been described in a few cases of childhood rabies in which there were extensive leptomeningeal leukocytic infiltrates. ^{1 , 2}