2. Learning objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to:
1. Describe structure & properties of medically important viruses
2. Explain different criteria used to classify viruses
3. Illustrate classification of medically important viruses
4. List key viruses of medical importance
5. Describe the characteristics, mode of transmission, diseases they
cause and laboratory specimens and tests required for preliminary
diagnosis of ebola virus.
6. Describe characteristics, the mode of transmission, diseases they
cause and laboratory specimens and tests required for preliminary
diagnosis of yellow fever virus.
2
3. Structure of Medically
Important Viruses
Components of complete virus particles:
Enveloped viruses comprise-
Envelop (glycoprotein and membrane),
nucelo- capsid (nucelic acid plus capsid)
Naked capsid viruses comprise-
only nucelo-capsid with no envelop
3
4. Fig. 1. From Medical Microbiology, 5th ed., Murray, Rosenthal & Pfaller, Mosby Inc., 2005,
Basic Virus Structure
4
6. From Medical Microbiology, 5th ed., Murray, Rosenthal & Pfaller, Mosby Inc.,
2005, Fig. 6-5.
Basic Virus Structure
http://www.med.sc.edu:85/mhunt/intro-vir.htm
6
7. Capsid Symmetry: 3 types
Helical, Icosahedral and Complex
1. Helical
Worm-like or coiled configuration
7
8. 8
Fig 2. components of complete virus particle : A) Enveloped virus with icosahedral
symmetry. B) Virus with helical symmetry.
Source : Medical Microbiology, 24 th ed; 2000
9. Capsid Symmetry
2. Icosahedral or Cubic Symmetry
Most efficient arrangement for subunits in a closed shell
Animal viruses in microscopy appear spherical but are
icosahedral.
An icosahedron has 20 faces, 12 vertices with five fold,
three fold or twofold axes
Composed of Exactly 60 identical structural subunits
9
10. Cubic or Icosahedron
• 5:3:2 fold symmetry
• 60 identical subunit
Medical Microbiology, Jawtz,Melnick, & Adelberg’s,24th Edition, vishal
12. Medical Microbiology, 5th ed., Murray, Rosenthal & Pfaller, Mosby Inc., 2005.
12
Properties of Naked Viruses
13. From Medical Microbiology, 5th ed., Murray, Rosenthal & Pfaller, Mosby Inc., 2005, Fig. Box 6-5.
Properties of Enveloped Viruses
13
14. Classification of Viruses
1. By Type of Nucleic Acid:
DNA (Ss /Ds)
or RNA
Strategy of replication
2. By Size & morphology
Type of symmetry (Icosahedral, Helical, Complex)
Number of capsomers
Presence or absence of envelope
14
16. Other types of Classification
3. By Presence of specific enzymes
E.g: RNA and DNA polymerase
Neuraminidase
Reverse transcriptase
4. By Host tissue or cell tropism
E.g: Hepatitis viruses, HIV, etc
5. By Mode of Transmission
16
17.
18. Other Types of Classification
6. Host range E.g. Animal, bacteria, plant
7. Type of disease E.g. encephalitis
18
19. Transmission of viruses
• Route of transmission depends on the source and the ability
of the environment and the body route to the target tissue.
• Naked viruses can withstand drying, the effect of detergents,
and extremes of pH and temperature.
• Naked viruses are generally transmitted by the respiratory
and fecal-oral routes and can often be acquired from
contaminated objects.
20. Transmission of viruses
• Enveloped viruses are comparatively fragile.
• They require an intact envelope for infectivity.
• These viruses must remain wet and are spread:
A. In respiratory droplets, blood, mucus, saliva, or semen.
B. By injection
C. By organ transplantation
21. Susceptibility to Transmission
• The persistence of a virus in a community depends on
the availability of a critical number of immunologically
naïve (sero negative), susceptible people.
• Immunization produced by natural means or by
vaccination, is the best way of reducing the number of
such susceptible people.
• The age of the person is an important factor in
determining his or her susceptibility to viral infection.
22. Susceptibility to Transmission
• Infants, children and the elderly are susceptible to
different viruses.
• The competence of a person’s immune response and his
or her immune history determine how quickly and
efficiently the infection is resolved and can also
determine the severity of symptoms.
23. Epidemiology Terms
• Epidemics occur over a larger geographic area and
generally result from the introduction of a new strain of
virus in to an immunologically naïve population.
• Pandemics are worldwide epidemics, usually resulting
from the introduction of a new virus (example, HIV).
• The spread of a virus can be controlled by quarantine,
good hygiene, changes in lifestyle, elimination of the
vector, or immunization of the population.
24. Control of Transmission
• Quarantine is restriction of freedom of movement of
apparently well individuals who have been exposed to
infectious disease, which is imposed for the maximal
incubation period of the disease.
• The proper sanitation of contaminated items and
disinfections of the water supply are means of limiting
the spread of enteric viruses.
• The best way to limit viral spread, however, is to
immunize the population.
27. Viruses of medical importance include
Examples such as
O Flaviviruses (Yellow fever virus)
O Ebola
O Measles
O Rubella
O Polio
O Mumps
28. Example Viruses
• Two Example viruses will have an overview of
key characteristics, the diseases they cause,
mode of transmission and main laboratory
tests for preliminary diagnosis.
29. Key Characteristics of Ebola Virus
Characteristic of Ebola Virus
• Ebola is a member of the Filovirus family
• Ebola viruses are single-stranded RNA
• Enveloped
• The capsomer-covered nucleocapsid is
helicoids in shape
• The virion is tubular in appearance
30. Key Characteristics of Ebola Virus
• Ebola haemorhagic fever (EHF): is a severe,
often-fatal disease in humans and nonhuman
primates that has appeared sporadically since
its initial recognition in 1976.
• Common found in West and Central Africa
31. Key Characteristics of Ebola Virus
Mode of transmission
• Is through contact with body fluids
Preliminary Laboratory Diagnosis
• Specimen: blood
• Technique: serological tests
32. Key Characteristics of Yellow
Fever Virus
• Fall under the family flaviviridae
• It is enveloped virus with an icosahedral
capsid
• Single stranded linear non segmented RNA
• The envelope has three structural
polypeptides, two are glycosylated
• Yellow fever virus multiplies in many different
types of animals and in mosquitoes
34. Key Characteristics of Yellow
Fever Virus
• Mode transmission of yellow fever is by
infected mosquito of the genus Aedes
• Disease Caused by Yellow Fever Virus
• Yellow fever an acute, febrile, mosquito-borne
illness characterized by liver and renal
dysfunction and hemorrhage
36. Questions to Consider
• Mention the mode of transmission for Yellow
fever virus.
• List three morphological characteristics of
Ebola virus.
37. Key Points
• Components of the virus include: Capsomers &
nucelo-capsid and envelop unless the naked capsid
virus.
• Viruses can be classified according to:
– Type of nucleic acid
– Size & morphology
– Presence of specific enzymes
– Host tissue or cell tropism
– Mode of transmission
– Host range E.g. Animal, bacteria, plant
– Type of disease E.g. encephalitis
38. References:
• D Greenwood, R Slack, J Peutherer (2000)Medical
Microbiology.15TH ed.Churchill Livingstone
• Ivan M. Roitt & PJ.Delves Roitts (2004) Essential Immunology,
10th Edition, Replika press Pvt.ltd, India
• Monica Cheesbrough (2003) Medical Laboratory Manual For
Tropical Countries, part 2, Edition Cambridge University press,
international sales department.
• A Zuckerman (2009) Principles and practice of Clinical
Virology,6th ed. Wiley & sons, Ltd.,Publishers
39. References:
• Warren Levinson. MD,PHD(2004) Medical
Microbiology & Immunology edition Mc Graw
–Hill Companies
• Satish Gupte, (2004) The Short Text Book For
Medical Microbiology.10th Edition Replika
press Pvt. ltd, India
40. • Edward K.Wagner, (2006) Basic
Virology3rd ed.,
• Murray, Rosenthal & Pfaller (2005)
Medical Microbiology, 5th ed., Mosby Inc.,
• Jawtz, Melnick, & Adelberg’s,24th Edition,
Medical Microbiology, Vishal publishers.
Editor's Notes
Icosahedron pattern: the most efficient arrangement subunits in closed shell
Advantage
- The subunits can be smaller and thus economizing on genetic information
- Avoids physical restraints which prevents the tight packing o subunits in other symmetry
People are exposed to viruses through out their lives.
Some situations, vocations, lifestyles, and living arrangement increase the likelihood that a person will come in contact with certain viruses.
Many viruses are ubiquitous (found every where), as borne out by the fact that evidence of exposure (antibodies to the virus) can be detected in most young children (HSV –1, HHV6, varicella – zoster virus, parvovirus B19) or early adult hood (EBV and respiratory and enteric viruses).
Poor hygiene and crowded living, school, and job conditions promote exposure to respiratory and enteric viruses.
Day care centers are consistent sources of viral infections, especially viruses spread by the respiratory and fecal-oral routes.
Travel, summer camp, and vocations that bring people in contact with a virus vector such as mosquitoes, put them at particular risk for infection by arbo-viruses and other zoonoses.
Sexual promiscuity also promotes the spread and acquisition of several viruses.
Health care workers, such as physicians, dentists, nurses, and technicians, are frequently exposed to respiratory and other viruses but are uniquely at risk for acquiring viruses from contaminated blood (HBV, HIV) or vesicle fluid (HSV).
Animals can also act as vectors that spread viral disease to other animals or humans.
Animals can also be reservoirs.
Viral diseases that are shared by animals or insects and humans are called zoonoses.
Arthropods, including mosquitoes, ticks, and sand f lies can act as vectors for toga viruses, flavi-viruses, bunya viruses, and reo-viruses. These viruses are often referred to as arbo-viruses because they are arthropod born.
The source of the virus is the tissue site of viral replication and secretion.
Non-enveloped viruses are also called naked viruses.
Unlike the non-enveloped viruses, enveloped viruses are comparatively fragile.
The geographic distribution of a virus is usually determined by whether the requisite cofactors or vectors are present or whether there is an immunologically naïve, susceptible population.
Seasonal difference in the occurrence of viral disease corresponds with behaviors that promote the spread of the virus.
Out breaks of a viral infection often results from the introduction of a virus (such as hepatitis A) in to a new location.
The out breaks originate from a common source (e.g. food preparation)
Viruses of medical importance are numerous hence we have selected only the above to deal with)
Source: Maggiano & Thomas, 2010
1. Mode transmission of yellow fever is by infected mosquito of the genus Aedes.
2. Characteristic of Ebola Virus
Ebola is a member of the Filovirus family
Ebola viruses are single-stranded RNA
Enveloped
The capsomer-covered nucleocapsid is helicoids in shape
The virion is tubular in appearance