system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How does rabies evade the immune system?
gpt
It doesn’t fully evade the immune system, which is why the vaccine/PEP immunoglobulins work. However it infects neurons which are immune privileged, the immune system generally leaves nerves alone to avoid very nasty side effects. The virus infects cell to cell slowly until making it to the brain, usually weeks later. Despite this the immune system can still clear the rabies virus, it is just usually too late and brain damage is fatal. Having the vaccine administered early along with the immunoglobulins (antibodies) clears the virus sooner, ideally before it reaches the CNS so there is no brain damage.