Biology 218 - Lecture 21: Rhabdoviridae (1999)
I. Rhabdoviridae - rabies, vesicular stomatitis virus
	Historical - Pasteur vaccination of rabid rabbit spinal cord 
		into rabies victim Joseph Meister.
		(public spectacle)
A. Virology - bullet-shaped.
	ssRNA, negative stranded, 11 kbp, G protein (spike) 
		elicits neutralizing antibody.
	Replication: (Most work done with VSV)
		Bind by spike protein (G), endocytosed ->
			 nucleocapsid into cytoplasm.
		Replicate, minus strand encapsidated, 
			buds at G-protein peplomer region.
B. Clinical - (all warm-blooded animals susceptible)
	Ex. Vampire bats -> 1 million cattle deaths/year in South America.
	1. Epidemiology - Island countries: None in Australia, 
		Japan, New Zealand, Hawaii.
		Developing countries: Asia, Africa....domestic animals
		Industrialized countries: US, Europe.....
			Enzootic in animals (bat, racoon, fox...)
	2. Transmission - saliva through cut -> replication in muscle->
		nerve cells (bind Ach receptor) neuromuscular junction -> 
			CNS -> coma -> respiratory arrest
		Rare transmission: corneal transplant from rabies patient
		Wide host range: Infection of CNS -> aggressive 
			simultaneous with high titer in saliva.
		Butte: Skunks, bats (We're #1 .....or 2)
		Young rural dogs and cats responsible for estimated 
			75,000 human cases/year.
	3. Disease - Long incubation (little immune response) - 14 - 90 days.
		Prodrome - flu-like
			rogressive: hydrophobia, aerophagia, 
			hallucinations, aggression, convulsions,
			progressive paralysis
C. Diagnosis - FA of brain or Nebri bodies (cytoplasmic inclusions) 
	in brain, viral isolation.
D. Treatment - passive and active immunization during 
		muscle replication before nerve invasion.
	Only human disease treated by post-exposure vaccination.
	Vaccine now grown in human cells - highly immunogenic 
		(4 - 6 injections instead of 14 - 21)
E. Control: Vaccination of dogs and cats (each 3 years)
	Humans at risk: Vets, animal control, 
		wildlife workers every 2 years (confirm adequate Ab serology)
	Vaccinia-rabies (recombinant) vaccinationof wild foxes.