Rabies

Rabies

Rhabdoviradae Lyssavirus

Bullet shape 70-180nm, negative single strand RNA virus, spiked envelope, prone to mutation, targets neurons

Mammals- skunk, bat, fox, coyote, bobcat, raccoon

Skin

Zoonotic, Animal Bite

30-50 days

Virus replicates in muscle cells at location of bite and then spreads to the CNS via peripheral nerves. Virus spreads through the spinal cord to the brain and causes fatal encephalitis. Viral infection of salivary glands helps spread disease

Acute phase- lasts 2-10 days, pain or tingling, flu-like symptoms; Neurological Phase/ CNS symptoms- agitation, hydrophobia- muscle spams of the mouth and pharynx, excitability (furious or classical rabies), hyper salication, biting, paralysis (paralytic, dumb or numb rabies)

Encephalitis, permanent brain damage, mortality following the apperance of encephalitis nearly 100% within 3 weeks (1-2 deaths/yr in US)

Animal vaccination, avoidance, proper cleaning of bite wounds, Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), Vaccination (HDCV), Human rabies immune globin (RIG)

Vaccination (HDCV), Human rabies immune globin, antiviral drugs, induce coma