The Rabies Virus

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The rabies virus does a virus-induced aggressive biting behavior that increases the chances of taking over the host. (The Rabies Virus) The rabies virus can be spread from animals to humans in different ways and can cause many painful symptoms relating to the nervous system. Rabies also has a very complex structure and has multiple functions that can leave people in awe. The nervous system is no match for rabies and most people infected with rabies die unless treated with medication within around 24 hours. Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the nervous system. The nervous system structurally is made up of two main parts, the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is comprised of the brain, …show more content…

Rabies is apart of the rhabdoviridae(RNA) and is made up of five main chemical proteins: the nucleoprotein(N), phosphoprotein(P), matrix protein(M), glycoprotein(G), and the polymerase(L). All rhabdoviruses have two main components when relating to structure, helical ribonucleoprotein core(RNP), and a surrounding envelope. The RNP has two viral proteins relating to it. They are phosphoproteins and the large protein. The RNP has a layer of nucleoprotein and is located inside of Rabies. When the rabies virus fuses or connects to host cells it may include interaction with the “G” protein and there may be surface receptors involved. Rabies will then imale the host cell and enter the cytoplasm by the pinocytosis. Virions will then aggravate the large endosomes, the viral membranes will connect with endosomal membranes. But to reproduce messenger RNA’s must be transcribed to allow virus replication. Once rabies has entered the body and has started rapidly replicating the person infected has no chance and will die (The Rabies …show more content…

Early on before rabies has truly started taking over the body these symptoms may show: fever, pain where the bite is located, general illness feeling, headache, a poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, sore throat and depression. These symptoms may look like at first they are just a cold or a temporary sickness but, these neurological symptoms can develop as more rapid multiplying starts to progress: anxiety, confusion, excessive saliva production, hallucinations, high level excitement, insomnia, paralysis of lower legs, problems swallowing due to having a painful throat, restlessness, and sometimes voice box spasms. Also a sign of when rabies is progressively taking over the body is throat muscle spasms. If rabies is not treated within a day or twenty-four hours the rabies virus will become incurable. Then either the victim will slip into a coma and dies or will die because of breathing failure (Canada Body and Health). In conclusion the rabies virus is mainly spread from animals to humans in multiple ways between biting scratching and many more. The rabies virus is virtually incurable unless the victim is vaccinated immediately after contact with a wild rabid animal. The best thing to do for the nervous system after being infected is to get medication from a doctor. So all in all the rabies virus has a very complex structure and function that is deadly to the