Rhabdoviruses are widespread in a wide variety of organisms. This viral family includes many human pathogens, such as rabies virus, which causes 50,000 deaths per year worldwide and Chandipura virus, which is reponsible for fatal encephalitis epidemics in India. In addition, the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), the prototype of the family, has oncolytic properties and its glycoprotein is used to pseudotyping retroviral vectors. Understanding the cycle of rhabdoviruses and their interactions with the host therefore has implications for human and animal health.