Tag Archives: Virology

The genus ‘Enterovirus’[1] belongs to the family Picornaviridae (‘pico’ meaning small) which comprises of icosahedral viruses (~30 nm in diameter) with single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genomes. As of 2020 (http://taxonomy.cvr.gla.ac.uk/PDF/Picornaviridae.pdf), the family contained 63 genera and 147 species, with many others still awaiting classification.

Adenoviruses (from Latin adenos meaning 'gland') are icosahedral (about 90 nm in diam.), nonenveloped, double-stranded DNA viruses with a wide host range (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish). Characteristic antennae-like fibers protrude from the virion surface give them the appearance of miniature satellites. Virus replication occurs inside the nucleus of infected cells.

Undeniably, smallpox was among the most dreaded of all infectious diseases! It killed millions around the world each year. As nearly 80% of those infected would die, parents dared not count their children as their own until they had survived the regular and inevitable outbreaks of the infection.

Even among other viruses, human noroviruses (HNV) are small (~27 nm), but they pack a powerful pathogenic punch! Globally, they sicken nearly 300 million people every year with acute gastroenteritis (diarrhea and vomiting), and kill approximately 200,000, mainly as a result of severe dehydration.