Lecture 4 Part 3: Rabies

Question 1

What is the shape and structure of the rabies virus?

Answer 1

Bullet-shaped, enveloped
Helical, nucleocapsid

Question 2

What type of genetic material does the rabies virus contain?

Answer 2

ss(-)RNA

Question 3

To which virus family does the rabies virus belong?

Answer 3

Rhabdoviridae family

Question 4

How is the rabies virus most commonly transmitted?

Answer 4

Through infected secretions, often via a dog bite

Question 5

What are the key surface proteins of the rabies virus and their function?

Answer 5

G glycoprotein bind
AChR or NCAM (also antigen source)

Question 6

Where does the rabies virus initially replicate in the body?

Answer 6

at the site of the bite

Question 7

How does the rabies virus reach the central nervous system (CNS)?

Answer 7

It enters peripheral nerve endings at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and travels to the CNS

Question 8

Where does secondary replication of the rabies virus occur?

Answer 8

Exclusively in the gray matter of the brain and then it spreads to the autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Question 9

What is a common clinical outcome of rabies infection?

Answer 9

encephalitis