Date of Defense

8-8-2017

Date of Graduation

8-2017

Department

Biological Sciences

First Advisor

Robert Eversole

Second Advisor

Philip Macklin

Abstract

Rabies is a virus of the Lyssavirus family that is endemic to almost all parts of the world and claims over 55,000 lives every year. The virus is capable of being vectored through any warm-blooded animal and has a variable incubation time in its hosts. Once the disease finishes incubating and symptoms appear in the host, the disease is always fatal to humans. To prevent this there are several treatments available, but they can be expensive or difficult to obtain in parts of the world that have the most problems with rabies. To solve this vaccines have been created to inoculate patients and avoid the necessity for costly care after every encounter with a possible vector of rabies. In this paper the history of vaccines in the United States and the procedure for developing new vaccines is discussed, as well as how vaccines function in the body and the specific developments for new rabies vaccines. Symptoms, treatments and common vectors of rabies are addressed, as well as areas of the world that are most affected by the disease.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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