A 35-year-old man from a rural area presents with fever, hydrophobia, and aerophobia after a dog bite 2 months ago. Post-mortem brain biopsy is performed. Which histological finding is pathognomonic for rabies encephalitis?

• A Cowdry type A inclusions
• B Perivascular lymphocytic cuffing
• C Multinucleated giant cells
• D Negri bodies in Purkinje cells ✓

Explanation

Negri bodies are eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions found in neurons, particularly in the hippocampus and Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. They are pathognomonic for rabies encephalitis and represent viral nucleocapsid aggregates. Cowdry type A inclusions are seen in herpesvirus infections. Multinucleated giant cells are typical of HSV or VZV. Perivascular cuffing is nonspecific.

Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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