Comments by "Spring Bloom" (@springbloom5940) on "The most terrifying virus | Vincent Racaniello and Lex Fridman" video.
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Rabies mortality is ~96%* and is relatively hard to catch.
*Ok, so... Mortality rate, is based on a lot of old data and data from unde(rde)veloped countries. Recently, however, in western countries, we've had a great deal of success treating full-onset rabies. If an otherwise healthy western patient shows up in an emergency room, with full-blown diagnosed-on-sight rabies, they probably have a ~60/40 shot at functional recovery and 30/70 at making a near complete recovery.
Also... there are villages of people in South America found to have rabies antibodies and researchers don't know if A) they have a genetic immunity B) there might be a less deadly strain of rabies that is a common infection, or C) rabies might not be as deadly as thought; we only know about the acute, final stage cases and any suspect exposure is prophylactically treated. So, it maybe that rabies is much more common than thought and possibly very mild or asymptomatic in a large percentage of cases.
Pathogen that self-beneficially alters behavior - syphilis, aka the 'love bug'; causes pathological hypersexuality.
Ultimate(most beautiful) virus - herpes.
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