Genetic characteristics of field and attenuated rabies viruses ... - Evira

2. Aims of the study
The scope of the present study covers the genetic characterization of the field and
attenuated rabies viruses and the molecular-epidemiological study of rabies in Finland
and Russia. To accomplish this, the following goals had to be attained:
1. The collection of field rabies viruses from different regions of the
Russian Federation, especially in the North-Western regions;
2. The development of an RT-PCR technique for rabies diagnosis and
scientific purposes;
3. The antigenic and genetic characterization of the field rabies viruses
from Russia, Finland (archival samples), and of the vaccine strains that
are used in Russia and Finland;
4. The phylogenetic and molecular epidemiological analyses of the
obtained data;
5. The entire genome sequencing, and antigenic and genetic
characterization of the Russian vaccine strain RV-97 used for the oral
immunization of wildlife against rabies.
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