The video provides a detailed explanation of the rabies virus, also known as Lyssa, which has been haunting humanity for at least 4000 years. The virus is named after Lyssa, the ancient Greek spirit of mad rage. It can turn animals into angry beasts and humans into zombies that fear water. The virus is incredibly good at avoiding our defenses and has been one of the deadliest viruses known to humanity.
The infection process begins with a bite, most likely by a dog carrying millions of viruses in its saliva. The virus targets nerve cells, or neurons, which are living electrochemical wires transferring signals throughout the body. Once inside the neurons, the virus hijacks the Dynein motors, a specialized delivery system, to head for the nucleus. The virus is able to evade the immune system's interferons, which usually alert the immune system to make antivirus weapons.
Once the virus reaches the brain stem, the immune system dispatches Killer T Cells to seek and kill infected cells. However, Lyssa has found a way to make infected neurons express an order to self-destruct, causing the defense cells to commit suicide. The virus then infiltrates the brain stem, leading to symptoms like confusion, aggression, and paralysis.
The virus then begins to leave the brain, migrating away and heading for the salivary glands. It ends up saturating the saliva, ready for the irate mammal to bite another and repeat the cycle. This leads to the development of encephalitis, a swelling of the brain with many unpleasant neurological symptoms, from lethargy to paralysis.
Rabies is one of the first diseases humans developed a vaccine for. The vaccine prepares the immune system for a future attack, so it has the right weapons ready in high numbers. The vaccine can be given after exposure, making it possible to still be vaccinated after being bitten by an animal.
Despite the availability of a vaccine, rabies still kills around 60,000 people each year, almost half of them children. The virus lurks in the shadows, in forests and animals of all kinds, ready to return in greater numbers if we ever forget how to keep it at bay, or if we continue the trend of being suspicious of vaccines.
1. In the 1970s, thousands of Chickenheads rained from the sky in Europe, filled with a vaccine to fight the deadliest virus known to humanity – rabies.
2. Rabies is named after Lyssa, the ancient Greek spirit of mad rage, and has been haunting us for at least 4000 years.
3. The lyssavirus is simple even for a virus: It has only five genes, that is the instructions for five proteins that let it solve complex problems.
4. Lyssa probably binds to the receptors that are crucial for this process and slips inside the unsuspecting nerve cells.
5. Lyssa uses one of its five proteins to hijack this amazing system and order it to head for the nucleus.
6. Lyssa blocks your neurons from making interferons and stays basically invisible to your immune system.
7. Lyssa stealthily jumps from neuron to neuron, very slowly making its way to your brain.
8. Lyssa is a patient monster. Until it reaches its goal: Your brainstem.
9. Lyssa with its 5 proteins plays a uno reverse card, using the immune system’s ingenuity against itself.
10. Lyssa figures out a way to make infected neurons express this order. So as your powerful defense cells arrive – they are ordered to commit suicide.
11. Lyssa infiltrates the brain stem. Once this stage is reached you are going to die.
12. One of the most irritating things about the Lyssavirus is that we still don’t know exactly how and why an infected person dies.
13. Brain tissue of rabies patients shows minimal, sometimes non-existent damage.
14. Lyssa wreaks havoc by messing up the neuron communication inside your brain, so much so, that it can’t function anymore.
15. Lyssa ends up saturating your saliva ready for the irate mammal to bite another and repeat the cycle.
16. Rabies is the deadliest virus we know.
17. Rabies was one of the first diseases humans developed a vaccine for.
18. The vaccine prepares your immune system for a future attack, so it has the right weapons ready in high numbers.
19. Lyssa is so slow in the first few weeks, it can be given to you after you have been exposed.
20. Rabies still kills around 60,000 people each year, almost half of them children.
21. Rabies lurks in the shadows, in forests and animals of all kinds, ready to return in greater numbers if we ever forget how to keep it at bay, or if we continue the trend of being suspicious of vaccines.