## Rabies Virus Morphology **Key Point:** Rabies virus (genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae) has a distinctive **bullet-shaped or cone-shaped morphology** — one end is blunt and the other is pointed. This characteristic appearance is pathognomonic and is a key identifying feature on electron microscopy. ### Structural Details - **Size:** 50–95 nm in length and 50–80 nm in diameter - **Envelope:** Lipid bilayer derived from host cell membrane - **Surface projections:** Glycoprotein spikes (G protein) arranged in a helical pattern on the envelope - **Genome:** Single-stranded, negative-sense RNA (~11.9 kb) - **Internal structure:** Ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) with helical symmetry ### Why This Shape? The bullet shape is thought to facilitate: - Efficient entry into host cells - Axonal transport along neuronal pathways - Evasion of immune recognition **High-Yield:** The bullet-shaped morphology is **diagnostic on EM** and is one of the most frequently tested structural features of rabies virus in NEET PG. **Clinical Pearl:** This distinctive morphology helps differentiate rabies from other enveloped RNA viruses like influenza (spherical) or measles (pleomorphic).
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