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Neuroimmunology of rabies: new insights into an ancient disease
  • +16
  • Otavio Cabral-Marques,
  • Victor Bastos,
  • Vinicius Pacheco da Silva,
  • Érika D. L. Rodrigues,
  • Cássia N. S. Moraes,
  • Adriel Leal Nóbile,
  • Dennyson Leandro M. Fonseca,
  • Kamilla Batista S. Souza,
  • Fernando Y. N. do Vale,
  • Igor Salerno Filgueiras,
  • Lena F. Schimke,
  • Lasse M. Giil,
  • Guido Moll,
  • Gustavo Cabral-Miranda,
  • Hans Ochs,
  • Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos,
  • Guilherme Dias de Melo,
  • Hervé Bourhy,
  • Livia Medeiros Neves Casseb
Otavio Cabral-Marques
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas

Corresponding Author:otavio.cmarques@gmail.com

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Victor Bastos
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas
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Vinicius Pacheco da Silva
Instituto Evandro Chagas
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Érika D. L. Rodrigues
Instituto Evandro Chagas
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Cássia N. S. Moraes
Instituto Evandro Chagas
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Adriel Leal Nóbile
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas
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Dennyson Leandro M. Fonseca
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Matematica e Estatistica
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Kamilla Batista S. Souza
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas
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Fernando Y. N. do Vale
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas
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Igor Salerno Filgueiras
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas
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Lena F. Schimke
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas
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Lasse M. Giil
Haraldsplass Diakonale Sykehus AS Kirurgisk Klinikk
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Guido Moll
Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin - Campus Virchow-Klinikum
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Gustavo Cabral-Miranda
Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas
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Hans Ochs
Seattle Children's Research Institute
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Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos
Instituto Evandro Chagas
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Guilherme Dias de Melo
Institut Pasteur
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Hervé Bourhy
Institut Pasteur
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Livia Medeiros Neves Casseb
Instituto Evandro Chagas
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Abstract

Rabies is an ancient neuroinvasive viral (genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae) disease affecting approximately 59,000 people worldwide. The central nervous system (CNS) is targeted, and rabies has a case fatality rate of almost 100% in humans and animals. Rabies is entirely preventable through proper vaccination, and thus, the highest incidence is typically observed in developing countries, mainly in Africa and Asia. However, there are still cases in European countries and the US. Recently, demographic, increasing income levels, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have caused a massive raising in the animal population, enhancing the need for preventive measures (e.g., vaccination, surveillance, animal control programs), post-exposure prophylaxis, and a better understanding of rabies pathophysiology to identify therapeutic targets, since there is no effective treatment after the onset of clinical manifestations. Here we review the neuroimmune biology and mechanisms of rabies. Its pathogenesis involves a complex and poorly understood modulation of immune and brain functions associated with metabolic, synaptic, and neuronal impairments, resulting in fatal outcomes without significant histopathological lesions in the CNS. In this context, the neuroimmunological and neurochemical aspects of excitatory/inhibitory signaling (e.g., GABA/glutamate crosstalk) are likely related to the clinical manifestations of rabies infection. Uncovering new links between immunopathological mechanisms and neurochemical imbalance will be essential to identify novel potential therapeutic targets to reduce rabies morbidity and mortality.
16 May 2023Submitted to Journal of Medical Virology
16 May 2023Submission Checks Completed
16 May 2023Assigned to Editor
16 May 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 May 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
22 May 20231st Revision Received
22 May 2023Submission Checks Completed
22 May 2023Assigned to Editor
22 May 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
30 May 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
09 Jul 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Major
08 Aug 20232nd Revision Received
08 Aug 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
08 Aug 2023Submission Checks Completed
08 Aug 2023Assigned to Editor
08 Aug 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
09 Aug 2023Editorial Decision: Accept
29 Sep 20233rd Revision Received
29 Sep 2023Submission Checks Completed
29 Sep 2023Assigned to Editor
29 Sep 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
01 Oct 2023Editorial Decision: Accept