Lyssavirus

Lyssavirus genus is a virus belonging to the Rhabdoviridae family in the order Mononegavirales. A well-known members of this genus is the rabies virus, which causes rabies.

Lyssaviruses have single-stranded RNA of negative polarity as genome.

Structure

Lyssaviruses have a helical symmetry, the virions have a cylindrical shape. This is in contrast to other viruses that infect humans, which normally have a cubic symmetry.

Lyssaviruses have an elongated shape, have a viral envelope with the so-called "spikes" ( protuberances ). Below the cover is a layer of matrix protein, which covers the core of the virion of helical ribonucleoprotein.

Genotypes

Lyssaviren be divided into seven genotypes:

• Genotype 1: rabies virus ( RABV ). This virus is the classic rabies virus.
• Genotype 2: Lagos bat virus Lagos bat virus = ( LBV)
• Genotype 3: Mokola virus ( MOKV )
• Genotype 4: Duvenhage virus ( DUVV )
• Genotype 5: European bat lyssavirus - bat lyssavirus = European ( EBLV 1)
• Genotype 6: European bat lyssavirus - bat lyssavirus = European ( EBLV 2)
• Genotype 7: Australian bat lyssavirus - = Australian bat lyssavirus ( ABLV )

Except for genotype 2, with all other enumerated above genotypes rabies cases have been described in humans.

These seven genotypes are divided into two Phylogruppen. Group 1 contains the genotypes of 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7, while the Group 2 contains the genotypes 2 and 3. For analysis, the G glycoprotein has been made ​​as this is relevant as the antigen. This finding also explains why vaccines against rabies virus (type 1) are not effective against viruses of group 2.

Remaining genotypes have been described, these are Aravan virus ( 1991) Khujand virus ( 2001), West Caucasian virus battery (2002), and Irkut virus ( 2002).