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CAPSID
The protein coat that surrounds the nucleic acid of a
virus.
CAPSOMERS
Substructures of virus particles. Composed of
aggregates of polypeptide chains that interact to form the basic structural
units of the capsid.
CASE FATALITY RATE (=CFR)
The proportion of clinically
apparent cases which result in death.
CYTOPATHIC EFFECT (=CPE)
CPE consists of morphologic
alterations of host cells, may result in cell death.
ENVELOPE
A host-cell-derived membrane, containing virus
specific antigens, that is acquired during virus maturation.
FOMITE
An object (e.g. furniture, book) that is not harmful in
itself but which can harbor pathogenic organisms and thus may be involved in
transmission of an infection
GENOME
A set of genes.
GIANT CELLS
See SYNCYTIUM.
HEMADSORPTION
The attachment of red blood cells to the
surface of host cells.
HEMAGGLUTINATION
Aggregation of red blood cells.
ICOSAHEDRON
A geometric figure composed of 12 vertices, 20
triangular faces and 30 edges.
INCLUSION BODIES
Usually sites of virus synthesis or assembly;
may be of diagnostic value (e.g. Negri bodies in rabies infection).
MONOLAYER
Sheet of cells forming a continuous layer one cell
thick on a solid (e.g. glass or plastic) surface. Cells may be e.g. fibroblast,
epithelial, epitheliod in nature. They may exist in either primary or continuous
(transformed) state.
NANOMETER
10-9meter. 1nm = 10Å. 1000nm = 1μm.
NUCLEOCAPSID
The virus structure composed of the nucleic acid
surrounded by the capsid.
PEPLOMERS
See SPIKES (peplos = envelope).
PLAQUE
A defined area of cell destruction resulting from
virus infection in vitro.
PLAQUE FORMING UNIT (=PFU)
A measure of infectious
virus particles. One plaque forming unit is equivalent to one infectious virus
particle.
POCK
A discrete pustular lesion found in the chorioallantoic
membrane or skin following infection with certain viruses.
SPIKE
Surface projection of varying lengths spaced at
regular intervals on the viral envelope, also called peplomers. Consist of viral
glycoproteins
STRUCTURAL PROTEINS
Those proteins which are present in the virion. THIS INCLUDES PROTEINS PRESENT IN LOW AMOUNTS.
'STRUCTURAL PROTEINS' do NOT necessarily play a skeletal role in maintaining a
virus's shape.
SYNCYTIUM
A multinucleated protoplasmic mass formed by the
fusion of originally separate cells
VIRAL HEMAGGLUTININ
A virally coded protein on the outer
surface of some viruses which reacts with a surface determinant on red cells.
Since such a virion will have many copies of the surface hemagglutinin, it can
bind to more than one red blood cell, thus causing hemagglutination.
VIRAL INFECTIOUS DOSE
The amount of virus required to cause a
demonstrable infection in 50% of the inoculated animals (ID50) or
tissue culture cells (TCID50).
VIREMIA
Presence of virus particles in the blood
VIRION
The mature virus particle, with all of its structural
components intact.
VIRUS
A small, obligate intracellular parasite that depends
on a living host cell for energy, precursors, enzymes, and ribosomes to
multiply. It consists of a single type of nucleic acid, either DNA or RNA, and a
protein coat surrounding the nucleic acid. In addition, some viruses have an
envelope.
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