Main description:

Rabies is an ancient disease and a fearsome one. Although it may not have the economic or public health importance of some other infectious diseases, few are so well known or carry the same emotional impact. Mainly transmitted by the bite of an enraged animal, and with practically no hope for recovery among those afflicted, it has provided the substance of stories and legends throughout the ages. The pioneering work of many 19th century workers, culminating in the development of the first rabies vaccines by Louis Pasteur, provided the ground work for the modern era in the study of rabies. Since then, and particularly in the last quarter century, considerable advances have been made in our knowledge of the nature of the infectious agent, its mode of transmission and pathogenetic mechanisms. Yet even today, much remains to be learned about the disease. For example, although effective vaccines exist for humans and other animals, there is still no known practical cure once the neurological disease symptoms develop. Markers of virulence have been mapped at the molecular level, but it is yet unclear as to how rabies virus actually exerts its pathological effects.

Contents:

1. Understanding the Nature of Rabies: An Historical Perspective.- 2. Structure of Rabies Virus.- 3. Culture of Rabies Virus in vitro.- 4. Interactions of Rabies Virus and Host Cells.- 5. The Pathogenesis of Rabies.- 6. Genetic Control of Resistance to Rabies.- 7. Immune Responses to Rabies Virus: Vaccines and Natural Infection.- 8. Rabies-related Viruses.- 9. Diagnosis of Rabies Infection.- 10. Serodiagnosis of Rabies: Antibody Tests.- 11. Epizootiology of Rabies: Eurasia and Africa.- 12. Epizootiology of Rabies: The Americas.- 13. Persistence of Rabies in Wildlife.- 14. Vaccines and Vaccination of Domestic Animals.- 15. Development of a Vaccinia-Rabies Glycoprotein Recombinant Virus Vaccine.- 16. Control of Wildlife Rabies: Europe.- 17. Control of Wildlife Rabies: The Americas.- 18. Control of Urban Rabies.