Poxviridae is a family of double-stranded DNA viruses. Vertebrates and arthropods serve as natural hosts. There are currently 83 species in this family, divided among 22 genera, which are divided into two subfamilies. Diseases associated with this family include smallpox.
Caulimoviridae is a family of viruses infecting plants. There are 94 species in this family, assigned to 11 genera. Viruses belonging to the family Caulimoviridae are termed double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) reverse-transcribing viruses i.e. viruses that contain a reverse transcription stage in their replication cycle. This family contains all plant viruses with a dsDNA genome that have a reverse transcribing phase in their lifecycle.
An arenavirus is a bi- or trisegmented ambisense RNA virus that is a member of the family Arenaviridae. These viruses infect rodents and occasionally humans. A class of novel, highly divergent arenaviruses, properly known as reptarenaviruses, have also been discovered which infect snakes to produce inclusion body disease, mostly in boa constrictors. At least eight arenaviruses are known to cause human disease. The diseases derived from arenaviruses range in severity. Aseptic meningitis, a severe human disease that causes inflammation covering the brain and spinal cord, can arise from the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Hemorrhagic fever syndromes, including Lassa fever, are derived from infections such as Guanarito virus, Junin virus, Lassa virus, Lujo virus, Machupo virus, Sabia virus, or Whitewater Arroyo virus. Because of the epidemiological association with rodents, some arenaviruses and bunyaviruses are designated as roboviruses.
Potyviridae is a family of positive-strand RNA viruses that encompasses more than 30% of known plant viruses, many of which are of great agricultural significance. The family has 12 genera and 235 species, three of which are unassigned to a genus.
Simplexvirus bovinealpha2, also known as Bovine alphaherpesvirus 2 (BoHV2) is a virus of the family Herpesviridae. It causes two diseases in cattle, bovine mammillitis and pseudo-lumpy skin disease.
Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) is a species of DNA poxvirus that causes the human skin infection molluscum contagiosum. Molluscum contagiosum affects about 200,000 people a year, about 1% of all diagnosed skin diseases. Diagnosis is based on the size and shape of the skin lesions and can be confirmed with a biopsy, as the virus cannot be routinely cultured. Molluscum contagiosum virus is the only species in the genus Molluscipoxvirus. MCV is a member of the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae of family Poxviridae. Other commonly known viruses that reside in the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae are variola virus and monkeypox virus.
Fowlpox is the worldwide disease of poultry caused by viruses of the family Poxviridae and the genus Avipoxvirus. The viruses causing fowlpox are distinct from one another but antigenically similar, possible hosts including chickens, turkeys, quail, canaries, pigeons, and many other species of birds. There are two forms of the disease. The first is spread by biting insects and wound contamination, and causes lesions on the comb, wattles, and beak. Birds affected by this form usually recover within a few weeks. The second is contracted by inhalation or ingestion of the virus via dust or aerosols, leading to the 'diphtheritic form' of the disease, in which diphtheritic membranes form in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and sometimes the trachea. The prognosis for this form is poor.
Idaeovirus is a genus of positive-sense ssRNA viruses that contains two species: Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) and Privet idaeovirus. RBDV has two host-dependent clades: one for raspberries; the other for grapevines. Infections are a significant agricultural burden, resulting in decreased yield and quality of crops. RBDV has a synergistic relation with Raspberry leaf mottle virus, with co-infection greatly amplifying the concentration of virions in infected plants. The virus is transmitted via pollination with RBDV-infected pollen grains that first infect the stigma before causing systemic infection.
Orthoretrovirinae is a subfamily of viruses belonging to Retroviridae, a family of enveloped viruses that replicate in a host cell through the process of reverse transcription. The subfamily currently includes six genera, of which Lentivirus contains the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These viruses cause a variety of tumors, malignancies and immune deficiency disease in humans, other mammals and birds. A few, like Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), apparently cause no disease in their natural hosts.
Picobirnavirus is a genus of double-stranded RNA viruses. It is the only genus in the family Picobirnaviridae. Although amniotes, especially mammals, were thought to serve as hosts, it has been recently suggested that these viruses might infect bacteria and possibly some other invertebrates. If they do infect bacteria, then they are Bacteriophages. There are three species in this genus. Associated symptoms include gastroenteritis in animals and humans, though the disease association is unclear.
Aspiviridae, formerly Ophioviridae, is a family of segmented negative-strand RNA viruses which infect plants. Member viruses are characterized by an elongated and highly filamentous and flexible nucleocapsid with helical symmetry. It is a monotypic taxon containing only one genus, Ophiovirus. Aspiviridae is also the only family in the order Serpentovirales, which in turn is the only order in the class Milneviricetes.
Gammaflexiviridae is a family of viruses in the order Tymovirales. Fungi serve as natural hosts. There is only one genus in the family, Mycoflexivirus, which has one species: Botrytis virus F.
Alphasatellites are a single-stranded DNA family of satellite viruses that depend on the presence of another virus to replicate their genomes. As such, they have minimal genomes with very low genomic redundancy. The genome is a single circular single strand DNA molecule. The first alphasatellites were described in 1999 and were associated with cotton leaf curl disease and Ageratum yellow vein disease. As begomoviruses are being characterised at the molecular level an increasing number of alphasatellites are being described.
Acid-stable equine picornavirus (EqPV) is a member virus of Erbovirus A in the family Picornaviridae. They were isolated in the UK and Japan, from nasal swabs of horses with acute febrile respiratory disease.
Anna-Lise WilliamsonMASSAf is a Professor of Virology at the University of Cape Town. Williamson obtained her PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1985. Her area of expertise is human papillomavirus, but is also known on an international level for her work in developing vaccines for HIV. These vaccines have been introduce in phase 1 of clinical trial. Williamson has published more than 120 papers.
Alphapapillomavirus is a genus of viruses in the family Papillomaviridae. Humans and monkeys serve as natural hosts. There are 14 species in this genus. Diseases associated with this genus include warts, papillomas, and malignant tumours. The genital-type species known to carry a high risk for malignancy are HPV-16 and 18, and those with a low risk of malignancy are HPV-6 and 11.
Betapapillomavirus is a genus of viruses in the family Papillomaviridae. Human serve as natural hosts. There are six species in this genus. Diseases associated with this genus include warts, papillomas, and malignant tumours.
Gammapapillomavirus is a genus of viruses in the family Papillomaviridae. Human serve as their natural hosts. There are 27 species in this genus. Diseases associated with this genus include warts and papillomas.
Iotapapillomavirus is a genus of viruses in the family Papillomaviridae. Rodents serve as natural hosts. There are two species in this genus. Diseases associated with this genus include cutaneous lesions and benign skin tumours, such as papillomas and keratoacanthomas.
Farallon virus is a strain of Hughes orthonairovirus in the genus Orthonairovirus belonging to the Hughes serogroup. A known host of the virus is Ornithodoros. The virus is named after the Farallon Islands.
