2. Virus Taxonomy
Taxonomy and classification
Science of grouping and naming of living organisms
Universally accepted identical system
Shows relationships among organisms
Is a way to provide identification of an organism
Phylogeny: The study of the evolutionary history of
organisms.
3. Virus Taxonomy
Linnean Taxonomy
Carl linnaeus (1707-1778)
Systema Naturae
Father of modern taxonomy
Grouping of all of the organisms
on the earth
Binomial nomenclature
Genus-specie
4. Virus Taxonomy
Virus taxonomy
Early virus classification was based upon the
pathogenic effects and transmission patterns
Hepatitis viruses
Hepatitis A: Picornavirus
Hepatitis B: Hepadnavirus
Hepatitis C: Flavivirus
In 1930 , virus structure and composition details
start to emerge that made possible to group viruses
on the basis of shared features of viruses
5. Virus Taxonomy
Virus taxonomy
In 1966, International committee for nomenclature of viruses (ICNV) was
developed
In 1973, International committee for taxonomy of viruses (ICTV) was
established
ICTV governed by the virology division of the International union of
Microbiological societies
Experts meet time to time to reconsider and revise the virus taxonomy
and nomenclature
Most recent report was published in 2011 “9th report”
Available online http://www.ictvonline.org/
6. Virus Taxonomy
Recent criteria for classification
Type and character of viral genome
Strategy of viral replication
Structure of virus
Additional information by sequencing or partial
sequencing of viral genome
9. Virus Taxonomy
Most recent classification (last updated in 2014)
Seven orders and an unassigned group
Caudovirales (3 families)
Herpesvirales (3 families)
Ligamenvirales (2 families)
Mononegavirales (5 families)
Nidovirales (4 families)
Picornavirales (5 families)
Tymovirales (4 families)
Unassigned group (78 families)
Virus taxonomy
10. Virus Taxonomy
More than 50 families and 22 are of veterinary
importance
230 genera
More than 1500 species
More than 30,000 different strains
Virus taxonomy
11. Virus Taxonomy
Most recent classification (last updated in 2014)
07 orders
104 Families
23 Subfamilies
505 Genera
3186 Species
Virus taxonomy
12. Virus Taxonomy
Virus Specie?
In 1991, ICTV accepted the definition by van
Regenmortel which states that
“A virus species is defined as a polythetic class of viruses that
constitutes a replicating lineage and occupies a particular
ecological niche”
13. Virus Taxonomy
Nomenclature
Naming viruses
First name of virus order, family, subfamily, and genus is
capitalized while the complete name is italicized
Specie name:
In context to taxonomy: Canine distemper virus
In context to tangible properties: not capitalized (un-
till started from a city or name or place) nor italicized
canine distemper virus
19. Virus Taxonomy
Virus Quasispecies
Each virus exist as a genetically diverse, rapidly
evolving population of virions with non-identical
but closely related mutant and recombinant viral
genomes based on a consensus sequence.
21. Virus Taxonomy
How viruses are named
Based on:
- the disease they cause
poliovirus, rabies virus
- the type of disease
Hydropericardium syndrome
- geographic locations
Newcastle disease virus
- their discovers
Epstein-Barr virus
- how they were originally thought to be contracted
influenza virus (the “influence” of bad air)
22. Virus Taxonomy
Grouping of viruses on the basis of
epidemiological criteria
Enteric viruses
Respiratory viruses
Arboviruses (arthropod borne viruses)
Oncogenic viruses