Introduction to Viruses and Their Applications

Introduction to Viruses

• Viruses are studied for their potential in gene therapy and treating diseases like cancer.

Virus Structure and Function

• Viruses require specific receptors to infect cells.
• Upon infection, viruses can reproduce inside host cells, often resulting in the cell's death.
• Modifying viruses allows them to target specific cancer cells, avoiding harm to normal cells.

Viral Properties

• Viruses are considered non-living; they do not reproduce independently and require a host to replicate.
• Differences exist between RNA and DNA viruses (e.g., single-stranded vs. double-stranded).
• Viruses can be classified as enveloped or non-enveloped based on their structure.

Viral Life Cycle

• Lytic Cycle: Virus replicates, causes cell death, and releases new virions.
• Lysogenic Cycle: Viral DNA integrates with host DNA and may stay dormant until triggered.
• Vaccination creates immunity by training the immune system to recognize pathogens.

Immune Response and Vaccination

• The immune system remembers past infections, allowing for quicker responses to known viruses.
• Vaccines may use live viruses, inactivated viruses, or parts of viruses to elicit an immune response.

Antiviral Drugs

• Antiviral drugs, such as Tamiflu, inhibit viral replication and release from host cells.
• These drugs target specific viral enzymes essential for the viral life cycle.

Conclusion

• Viruses can be harnessed for medical treatments and research, especially in the field of gene therapy and immunology. Topics continue to evolve with ongoing research in virology.