Lyssa Virus

For this assignment, the virus that I chose to research further was the rabies virus, from the genus Lyssavirus. The rabies virus is a single-stranded RNA virus with a cylindrical structure that is covered by a layer of matrix protein. Its lipoprotein envelope is scattered with rabies glycoprotein-carrying trimeric spikes. This glycoprotein envelope can also influence the rabies virus virulence. The article I read also covered the pathology of the rabies virus, prevention strategies, vaccines, and treatments.
The pathogenesis of rabies lyssavirus starts with a bite from a rabid animal, and the virus is then transmitted through the saliva into the muscle and subcutaneous tissues. The article states that any other ways of being infected are extremely infrequent. In the incubation period, the virus can either duplicate in muscle cells or affix onto nerve endings. After acquiring entry to peripheral nerves, the rabies virus journeys in a backward direction within the …show more content…
The article notes that domestic-dog strains of the rabies virus are credited for more than 90 percent of human cases globally. The spread of the rabies virus in dogs can be reduced by parenteral vaccination, fertility restrictions, and clearing garbage to reduce the food supply. For example, the vaccination of wildlife vectors with an oral live weakened rabies virus or a vaccinia recombinant vaccine has been used in opposition to coyote, raccoon, and fox rabies in North America. However, there is no current method of managing rabies in some hard-to-follow species, such as insectivorous bats, despite their likelihood for infecting people. The article states that the only means of thwarting human infection are getting a pre-exposure vaccination, avoiding contact with bats, and for those who may have been in contact, receiving immediate post-exposure