Rabies: Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention (Virology Research Progress Series)

Rabies is a viral neuroinvasive disease that causes acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic (i.e., transmitted by animals), most commonly by a bite from an infected animal but occasionally by other forms of contact. Rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms. It is a significant killer of livestock in some countries. The rabies virus travels to the brain by following the peripheral nerves. This book gathers together important new research in the field.