Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0014070 (encephalomyelitis)
 13,017 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Human rabies is a fatal encephalomyelitis. After the development of the central nervous system infection, there is centrifugal spread of the rabies virus to extraneural (systemic) organs. With histochemical staining and localization of rabies virus antigen (RVA) with immunoperoxidase staining, we have examined tissue sections of organs from 14 postmortem pediatric and adult cases of human rabies acquired in Mexico and the People's Republic of China. RVA was found in nerve plexuses in multiple organs, including the gastrointestinal tract. RVA was observed in muscle fibers of the heart, tongue, and larynx. RVA frequently was observed in the adrenal medulla with an associated inflammatory reaction. Minor salivary glands of the tongue contained RVA and major salivary glands showed RVA in plexuses, but not in either acini or ducts. Epithelial cells of the tongue and taste buds were occasionally infected. RVA was observed in hair follicles of the skin and rarely in pancreatic islets. The infection of extraneural organs was sometimes, but not always, associated with an inflammatory reaction. These findings indicate that centrifugal spread of rabies virus to extraneural organs occurs frequently in human rabies.
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PMID:Extraneural organ involvement in human rabies. 1046 32

At present, virus infection is still a common threat to public health in developing countries. Human rabies remains a matter of great global concern with a case-fatality of almost 100%. The rabies virus belongs to the neurotropic type of virus of the Lyssavirus genus, and the disease presents as a deteriorating encephalomyelitis and is endemic throughout much of the world, particularly in Africa and Asia. Previous data have shown that, globally, approximately 59 000 human deaths are caused by rabies per year. Fortunately, human rabies can be treated through the timely administration of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). These days immunization using the rabies vaccine has become standard practice for individuals who have suffered bites or scratches from an animal, or who have been exposed to the body fluids of an infected animal. However, we have recently encountered a case of human rabies which arose through a rare transmission method, and we believe that lessons can and should be learnt from this incident.
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PMID:A case report on indirect transmission of human rabies. 2653 16