Infections of the Central Nervous System - Chapter 13: Rabies
Résumé
Rabies is a preventable zoonotic disease caused by a neurotropic virus of the Lyssavirus genus. The virus is transmitted from animal to human by bites, scratches, or direct exposure of mucosal surfaces to infectious saliva. All mammals are susceptible to rabies, but only a few species (e.g. dogs and bats) are important reservoirs for the disease. The virus reaches the brain mainly by centripetal propagation mediated by retrograde transneuronal transfer. Once clinical signs appear, the disease almost invariably progresses to fatal encephalitis.