Management of Rabid Dog bites

- PATHOGENESIS

On entering into human body, rabies virus multiplies at local site of inoculation prior to its spread towards brain via the nerves. Within the brain, virus spreads from infected to contagious cells. The main areas affected are usually the cerebellum, hypothalamus, hippocampus and scattered neurons in the reticular formation. It may be that aggression in rabies is related to the presence of virus in mid brain raphe nuclei and hypothalamus, since these are two inhibitory centers of aggressive behavior.