ABSTRACT
Rhabdoviruses are found in many vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. Because of this wide host range there has been much speculation for many years as to whether viruses found in one kind of host will also infect other kinds of host. Some members have, in fact, been shown to replicate in both vertebrates and invertebrates and others in both plants and invertebrates. A brief historical review of rabies in Asia was given by E. S. Tierkel in 1971. In the mid- 19th century, several reports of the disease in dogs in China were made by resident Europeans and the disease in man was well known to Chinese physicians. The rhabdoviruses are found in a wide variety of hosts and cause several important diseases of man, domestic animals, fish, and plants. Their similar physico-chemical characteristics point to a family which is narrowly defined, in contrast to their diverse ecological and biological properties.
