Lecture 1

Basic Virology Course

213 - CLSM

Introduction to Virology

Dr. Abdulrahim Hakami

Learning outcomes
 Learning Objectives of L1

• Assessment overview of the course

• To give you the general terms in Virology
• Introduction and history
• To give you some essential abbreviations used in Virology
• The difference between virus types and vaccines
 Assessment Overview (213-CLSM)

Blackboard!
 Assessment Overview (213-CLSM)

• Every student should present one of the lectures’ slides already taken
• Students will be listed according to their serial number (SN)
• Approx. 1 min will be enough for the oral presentation
I will send a file with all slides’ numbers for each student’s serial number
 Textbook (213-CLSM)

Main
Textbook
 Textbook (213-CLSM)

Main
Textbook

Use the textbook – Use SDL – View online books

PowerPoint slides are copyrighted ©

Don’t post them online or print them to bookstores
Introduction to Virology

How many viruses

are there ;-)?
 Key points in Virology
Abbreviations are important. e.g., The 4 key points to study any virus:

CPE AIDS
1. Virus
* Genome organization
CMV
EBNA EBV
HAV
* Morphology under EM

2. Disease mechanism / pathogenesis

HCV HBV
HBcAg
…….
3. Epidemiology
HIV HBeAg ……. * Transmission
HBsAg * Distribution of virus
HDV * At risk / risk factors
HPV HSV
etc
* Vaccines / antiviral drugs
HTLV
NANB RVF
VCA
4. Lab diagnosis

RSV VZV
 Introduction to Virology
➢ Virus= Latin for ‘poison’.

History
➢ 1892: Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)
Chamberland filter: Bacteria cannot go through

Ivanovsky
 History
Landmarks in the study of animal viruses
➢ Early (1892): Description of filterable infectious agent (TMV)
(Ivanovsky)

➢ Middle (1931): Virus propagation in embryonated chicken eggs –

(Woodruff, Goodpasteur)

➢ Late (1963): Hepatitis B Virus (Blumberg)

➢ Current (1983): HPV causes cervical cancer — (zur Hausen)
Discovery of HIV – (Barré-Sinoussi, Montagnier)
(1989): HCV (Houghton et al.)
(1997): HAART treatment for AIDS
(2005): HCV propagation in cultured cells – (Chisari, Rice, Wakita)
(2006): Vaccine against HPV (Merck)
 Virus Structure
N.A. + Protein = RNP (Ribonucleoprotein)
Capsid + RNP = Nucleocapsid

Spikes or peplomers
Envelope, lipoprotein
Matrix protein
Protein, to protect the N.A.
Nucleocapsid
N.A.

Capsomere (one unit), extra protection

Capsid: is a collection of capsomeres (a cluster of polypeptide) covering the RNP

Some viruses are nucleocapsid i.e. nucleocapsid can be a virion (one viral particle or a complete virus)
Other viruses are nucleocapsid + spikes (peplomers)

Figure design: Dr. Abdulrahim Hakami

 Virus Structure

➢ Symmetry of protein coats: ➢ Symmetry / structure:

Icosahedral (cubic): polygon with 12 Complex (only poxvirus)
vertices (corners)
and 20 facets (sides)

Helical (spiral)

An Old Virus
➢ Smallpox:
- (The Most Destructive Disease in History)
- Killed nearly 1/10th of the humankind
- In the 20th Century alone, 300m people affected worldwide
- Following introduction of vaccination (US)
Now eradicated worldwide
Virus Morphology Virus characteristics

➢ Virus characteristics
1. Very small
(Compare Mimivirus and Poxvirus

with Parvoviridae and Circoviridae)

2. Require living cells (like >>>>)

3. DNA or RNA (not both)

4. They replicate their N.A. (nucleic acid)
 Virological Terminology
Virion: one viral particle
Capsid: a protein shell that surrounds the viral N.A.
Spike (peplomer): a glycoprotein (GP) on a viral envelope
Envelope: a lipid-containing membrane that surrounds some viruses
Viraemia: ……………………………………………………………….
Satellite (defective) virus: a virus which requires a second helper virus. Example?

Bacteriophage: a virus that infects bacteria

Prions: infectious proteins (not viruses;); cause spongiform encephalopathy e.g., CJD
 Virus vaccines
➢ Jonas Salk (1914—1995): American virologist; discovered and
developed the first polio vaccine; two types: inactivated (injection) & weakened (oral)
➢ Maurice Hilleman (1919—2005): American vaccinologist;
developed measles, mumps, hepatitis A & B, and chickenpox vaccines

MMR vaccine: A mixture of live attenuated viruses;

measles, mumps, rubella viruses; administered via injection
Rotavirus vaccine: Gardasil:
➢ A vaccine is a preparation of an infectious agent that is administered to
induce ‘protective’ immunity

➢ Vaccination induces an effective immune response in many cases ;-) but

nothing in life is ‘risk-free’, and they don’t work 100%

➢ Live attenuated vaccines: induce long-lived immunity but can revert!

➢ Inactivated vaccines: Whole virus, inactivated (killed)
➢ Subunit vaccines: Some components (structural proteins)
Virus vaccines