flashcards

Viruses

Small infectious agents that replicate only inside the living cells of an organism.

Virion

Complete virus particle that consists of nucleic acid surrounded by a protein coat.

Nucleic Acid

Molecules that carry genetic information in viruses, can be DNA or RNA.

Capsid

Protein coat that surrounds and protects the viral nucleic acid.

Obligate Intracellular Parasite

Organism that can only replicate within a host cell.

Envelope (in viruses)

A lipid bilayer covering a virus, derived from the host cell membrane.

Host Specificity

The tendency of a virus to infect specific types of cells in certain species.

Pathogenesis

The process by which a virus causes disease.

Viral Replication

The process by which viruses reproduce inside a host cell.

RNA Virus

A virus whose genetic information is stored as RNA.

DNA Virus

A virus that has DNA as its genetic material.

Glycoproteins

Proteins on the surface of a virus that aid in the attachment to host cells.

Antigenic Properties

Characteristics of a virus that trigger an immune response.

Viral Genome

The complete set of genetic information contained in a virus.

Reverse Transcriptase

An enzyme used by retroviruses to transcribe their RNA into DNA.

Host Range

The range of host species that a virus can infect.

Animal Reservoirs

Animal species that harbor viruses and can transmit them to humans.

Epidemiology

The study of how diseases affect the health and illness of populations.

Common Cold

A mild viral infection of the upper respiratory tract.

COVID-19

A disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, identified in 2019.

Influenza

A viral infection that attacks the respiratory system and can cause severe illness.

SARS-CoV

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, responsible for SARS outbreaks.

MERS-CoV

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, associated with severe respiratory illness.

Viral Enzymes

Proteins produced by viruses that facilitate their replication and spread.