Rabies: Presentation, case management and therapy

Several Lyssaviruses are known to be a causative agent of rabies and rabies like syndrome. There are no proven effective treatment strategies for symptomatic rabies patient. Risk of infection from dog variant of rabies virus is highest with deep bite reaching muscular layer and much higher when compared to scratch. Failure of viral eradication at the central nervous system (CNS) is partly due to inadequate immune response. Favipiravir selectively inhibit viral RNA polymerase and has been shown to reduce rabies replication in neuronal cell and mouse model system. Endocannabinoid system has emerged as an important regulator for CNS integrity, cell fate and may serve as an important novel neuroprotective agent. Cannabinoid may be able to regulate the impaired homeostasis induced by rabies virus by promoting infected cell survival and promote complete autophagy in infected cell.

Automated summary

Several Lyssaviruses, including the dog variant, can cause rabies and rabies-like syndromes, and currently there are no proven effective treatments for symptomatic rabies patients. The risk of infection, especially from deep bites, is higher compared to scratches. Favipiravir can reduce rabies replication in neuronal cells, and the endocannabinoid system may serve as a novel neuroprotective agent against rabies virus-induced damage.