Rabies Virus
Class: Monoegavirales; Rhabdoviridae
Nucleic acids/ Proteins
~non-segmented, negative-stranded RNA genome, enveloped
~envelope capsids: help virus avoid immune system, fuses with the host membrane allowing the capsid and genome to enter and infect the host
~Ribonucleoprotein, is a nucleoprotein that contains RNA, i.e. it is an association that combines ribonucleic acid and protein together (referred also as protein-RNA complexes).
Diseases
~Diseases associated with this family include rabies fatal encephalitis from rabies virus, and vesicular diseases and encephalitis flu-like symptoms in humans from vesiculovirus
Host and Mode of infection
Symptoms/Cure
The first symptoms that appear are similar to those of the flu (headache, discomfort, weakness), after cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, agitation begins, then delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, and insomnia. The virus has now affected the central nervous system and is causing inflammation of the brain and can change the structure of the brain.
Once symptoms appear it's too late for doctors to do anything, less than 10 documented cases of human survival from clinical rabies have been reported. Once someone is bitten or comes into contact with saliva of an affected organism, it's highly recommended to seek medical treatment immediately. Vaccines are also available.