RT Book, Section
A1 Riedel, Stefan
A1 Hobden, Jeffery A.
A1 Miller, Steve
A1 Morse, Stephen A.
A1 Mietzner, Timothy A.
A1 Detrick, Barbara
A1 Mitchell, Thomas G.
A1 Sakanari, Judy A.
A1 Hotez, Peter
A1 Mejia, Rojelio
SR Print(0)
ID 1163281896
T1 General Properties of Viruses
T2 Jawetz, Melnick, & Adelberg's Medical Microbiology, 28e
YR 2019
FD 2019
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9781260012026
LK accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1163281896
RD 2024/04/18
AB Viruses  are  the  smallest  infectious  agents  (ranging  from  about  20  to  300  nm  in  diameter)  and  contain  only  one  kind  of  nucleic  acid  (RNA  or  DNA)  as  their  genome.  The  nucleic  acid  is  encased  in  a  protein  shell,  which  may  be  surrounded  by  a  lipid-containing  membrane.  The  entire  infectious  unit  is  termed  a  virion.  Viruses  are  parasites  at  the  genetic  level,  replicating  only  in  living  cells  and  are  inert  in  the  extracellular  environment.  The  viral  nucleic  acid  contains  information  necessary  to  cause  the  infected  host  cell  to  synthesize  virus-specific  macromolecules  required  for  the  production  of  viral  progeny.  During  the  replicative  cycle,  numerous  copies  of  viral  nucleic  acid  and  coat  proteins  are  produced.  The  coat  proteins  assemble  together  to  form  the  capsid,  which  encases  and  stabilizes  the  viral  nucleic  acid  against  the  extracellular  environment  and  facilitates  the  attachment  and  penetration  by  the  virus  upon  contact  with  new  susceptible  cells.  The  virus  infection  may  have  little  or  no  effect  on  the  host  cell  or  may  result  in  cell  damage  or  death.