INTRODUCTION Rabies is an acute infection of the CNS. Rabies is caused by rabies virus ( Rabdoviridiae family) Transmission: Through saliva of infected animal Mode of transmission: Animal bites, licks on abrasion Incubation period: 4 to 8 weeks (9-90 days) Variation of incubation period: depends on site of bite Human is dead end host Family: Rhabdoviridae Genus: Lyssavirus Shape: Rod or bullet shaped Nucleocapsid: Helical Genome: Single stranded RNA with negative polarity, hence posses their own RNA depended RNA polymerase. Replicates in cell cytoplasm. Envelope: contains virus encoded glycoproteins HISTORY Louis Pasteur was the first person to diagnose that rabies targeted the CNS. Also determined that nervous tissue of an infected human or animal also contained the virus. In 1890 created the rabies vaccine and saved 9 year old Joseph Meister after he had been bit by a rabid dog. EPIDEMIOLOGY 87 countries contain Rabies, but
Life is so simple,don't try to make it complicated!