Rabies, a zoonotic viral infection, can affect most warm-blooded mammals. Unlike with many viruses, the medical name of the rabies virus is identical to its common name.
The common name rabies comes from an identical Latin word meaning "rage" or "madness." Medical practitioners also use this term.
Taxonomical Name
Scientists refer to rabies using binomial nomenclature (genus and species). Its taxonomical name is Lyssavirus rabies or L. rabies.
Lyssavirus
The rabies virus is the type species of the Lyssavirus genus. The word "lyssa" means "frenzy" in Greek.
History
The word rabies probably evolved in the English language during the 17th century. It is a conjugation of the Latin verb rabere ("to rage"), itself a derivative of the Sanskrit "rabhas."
Other Names
In antiquity, people referred to rabies as hydrophobia; however, this term describes a symptom of the disease (irrational fear of water) rather than the disease itself.
Fun Fact
The complete taxonomical name for rabies literally means "mad frenzy" and refers to the unpredictable, violent behavior of animals affected by the virus.
Tags: name rabies, common name, Lyssavirus rabies, means frenzy, rabies virus