Rabies & Heart

Rabies is a neglected tropical disease caused by the Rabies Virus, a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Lyssavirus genus. Due to its predilection for the nervous system, the main clinical manifestation of rabies infection is severe encephalitis; however, involvement of other organs have been reported (Jackson, 2016; World Health Organization, 2018). Limited reports have demonstrated that the virus may have a tropism for the heart conduction system, leading to a range of cardiovascular manifestations. While it is important to understand the cardiac manifestations of rabies, it is mostly of academic interest, as once clinically apparent disease is established the fatality rate is virtually 100%. This chapter will review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and reports of cardiac involvement of rabies.