Rabies, the Fury Virus

Pathogenesis

• Bite site

• striated muscle cells

• peripheral nervous system is exposed in neuromuscular spindles

• exposed sensory nerve endings and motor end plates

Pathogenesis (cont)

• Neuronal infection (towards the center)

• CNS

• Brain and Salivary Glands

Why it is so evasive

• There may be very little virus and virus antigen delivered to evoke an immune response

• There may be very little virus and virus antigen produced in muscle early in the infection and very little in the peripheral nerves and CNS .

Why it is the fury disease

• Virus enters the saliva an multiplies exponentially at the same time it causes a fury effect in the limbic system.

End result

• The virus enters the neocortex.– Causes the dumb stage– Death by respiratory distress

Control

• Immunization– currently spend 1 billion dollars in U.S. alone– looking for more effective drugs