Rabies

Rabies is a zoonotic infection that results in progressive encephalitis and death. It is caused by a virus of the Lyssavirus genus. Rabies is a major public health problem all over the world. In the United States, most cases occur after exposure to wild terrestrial animals or bats. The virus usually replicates at the point of entry for a period of time before invading the CNS via peripheral nerves. Symptomatic rabies may present as the more common furious form or the less common paralytic type. Reliable and rapid diagnostic tests include DFA and RT-PCR. Currently, no therapeutic agents for treating disease caused by rabies virus are effective. However, there are effective and safe preventive measures, such as human diploid cell rabies vaccine and HRIG, which should be administered as soon as possible after exposure.