Computer illustration of the bullet-shaped rabies virus, a member of the Rhabdoviridae family. The virus has a protein coat or capsid (blue), which is made up of helically arranged subunits called capsomeres. Within the coat is the genetic material, which in this virus is single-stranded RNA. The rabies virus is transmitted to humans from an infected animal bite. Symptoms appear after an incubation period of 10 days to 1 year and include fever, breathing difficulties, muscle spasms, and hydrophobia.