The incubation period (the time the virus spreads from the peripheral nerves near the site of the bite via the spinal cord to the brain – see transmission and pathogenesis) ranges in general between 2 and 3 month (2 weeks to 6 years are reported) depending on the site of infliction, the amount of ... virus and the virus strain. Due to its neurotropism all known lyssaviruses cause severe neurological symptoms as a result of an acute encephalitis. Therefore, clinical signs in humans and animals are very similar. more

All lyssaviruses have evolved closely with distinct natural reservoir hosts. The latter are animals species in which a pathogen of an infectious disease are maintained independently. For lyssaviruses, these are a wide range of mammalian species within the Carnivora and Chiroptera (bats) orders with ... a global distribution. more

Classical rabies caused by RABV occurs worldwide besides some isolated countries and Western Europe that are regarded rabies free. Carnivores, especially of the canidae family represent the principal reservoir species and are responsible for the maintenance of the infectious cycle and hence for the ... presence of the disease (see Epidemiology of rabies). While wildlife rabies maintained by different reservoirs hosts predominantly occurs in the Northern hemisphere, canine rabies is by far more important for public health in the developing world. more