EVOLUCIJA I EKOLOGIJA VIRUSA BJESNOĆE

undergraduate thesis

• Title (english): EVOLUTION AND ECOLOGY OF RABIES VIRUS
• Author: Katja Vuković
• Mentor: Dijana Škorić (mentor)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Biology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023-09-04, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Biology

Abstract

Virusi roda Lyssavirus, od kojih je najistaknutiji virus bjesnoće (eng. rabies virus, RABV),
uzročnici su smrtonosne bolesti bjesnoće koju prenose isključivo sisavci. Bjesnoća zahvaća
centralni živčani sustav te je varijabilnog vremena inkubacije. Rezervoarne domaćine predstavljaju
šišmiši i karnivori među kojima se virus prenosi enzootski, no može doći i do epizootskog
prijenosa virusa, tj. prelijevanja (eng. spillover) infekcije. U njoj, virus prelazi na novu vrstu koja
postaje novi virusni domaćin. Prelazak na novu vrstu često je posljedica predadaptacije virusa te
predstavlja veliku opasnost za ljude i potencijalno ugrožene životinje. Upravo zbog te osobine
virusa, teško je odrediti njegovo podrijetlo te se mogu postaviti samo hipoteze. Osim biološke,
rasprostranjivanje virusa usporavaju i geografske barijere, pogotovo kad je riječ o terestričkim
sisavcima kao domaćinima. S druge strane, na rasprostranjivanje virusa među šišmišima najviše
utječu sezonske promjene, te se zimi bilježi stagnacija rasprostranjivanja virusa zbog hibernacije.
Teži se poboljšanju dijagnostike lyssavirusa kako bi se jasnije moglo odrediti o kojem se
pripadniku virusnog roda radi, dobiti pouzdanije podatke o njihovoj rasprostranjenosti te u
konačnici razviti najučinkovitije strategije suzbijanja ove bolesti

Abstract (english)

Viruses of the genus Lyssavirus, the most prominent of which is rabies virus (RABV), are the
causative agents of the deadly disease called rabies, which is transmittable exclusively to
mammals. Rabies affects the central nervous system and has a variable incubation period.
Reservoir hosts are bats and carnivores, among which the virus is transmitted enzootically, but
there can also be epizootic transmission events, i.e. spillover infections, the transfer of the virus to
a new species that becomes a new virus host. The transmission to a new host species is often the
result of preadaptation of the virus and represents a great danger for humans and potentially
endangered animals. Because of this feature of the virus, it is difficult to determine its origin, and
only hypotheses can be put forward. In addition to biological barriers, virus transmission is also
slowed down by geographical barriers, especially when it comes to terrestrial mammals as hosts.
On the other hand, the spread of the virus among bats is most affected by seasonal changes, so that
in the winter the virus spread stagnates due to bat hibernation. Efforts are being made to improve
the diagnostics of lyssaviruses in order to determine their specific types, to obtain more reliable
data on their distribution, and ultimately to develop the most effective strategies to control the
disease.

• Keywords: RABV; rezervoarni domaćini; spillover infekcija; predadaptacija; geografske barijere; sezonske promjene
• Keywords (english): RABV; reservoir hosts; spillover infection; preadaptation; geographical barriers; seasonal changes
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:475366
• Study programme: Title: Ecology; Study programme type: university; Study level: undergraduate; Academic / professional title: sveučilišni/a prvostupnik/prvostupnica (baccalaureus/baccalaurea) biologije (sveučilišni/a prvostupnik/prvostupnica (baccalaureus/baccalaurea) biologije)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-09-06 09:37:17