CHAPTER-II

Introduction to viruses
R.KAVITHA, M.PHARM,
LECTURER, DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS,
SRM COLLEGE OF PHARMACY,

SRM UNIVERSITY, KATTANKULATHUR .

 Definition of a Virus
Sub microscopic entity consisting
of a single nucleic acid surrounded
by a protein coat and capable of
replication only within the living
cells of bacteria, animals or
plants.
Definition of a Virus
Obligate

Intracellular

Parasite
 Virion Structure
Lipid Envelope Nucleic Acid

Protein
Capsid

Virion
Associated
Spike
Polymerase
Projections
 Virion Morphology
• Simple Structure

• Repetitive Structure

• High Level of Redundancy

Virus Morphology

Helical Icosahedral
 Virus Replication
1 Virus attachment
and entry
1 2 Uncoating of virion
3 Migration of
genome nucleic
5 acid to nucleus
4 Transcription
4 Genome replication
2 5
6 Translation of virus
3 mRNAs
7 Virion assembly
7 Release of new
8
virus particles
6

8
 Cytopathic Effect (cpe)
Adenovirus Herpes virus
Transmission of Viruses
• Respiratory transmission
9 Influenza A virus
• Faecal-oral transmission
9 Enterovirus
• Blood-borne transmission
9 Hepatitis B virus
• Sexual Transmission
9 HIV
• Animal or insect vectors
9 Rabies virus
 Virus Tissue Tropism
• Targeting of the virus to specific tissue
and cell types

• Receptor Recognition
9 CD4+ cells infected by HIV
9 CD155 acts as the receptor for
poliovirus
In vivo Disease Processes
• Cell destruction
• Virus-induced changes to gene
expression
• Immunopathogenic disease
 Acute Virus Infection
Symptoms
Amount of virus

Virus Time
Generation of Novel Influenza A Viruses
Human H2N2

ANTIGENIC SHIFT Human H3N2

Genetic Reassortment

Avian H3N8
Point mutation of HA and NA
genes

ANTIGENIC DRIFT
Viruses and Human Tumours
• Epstein Barr Virus
9 Burkitt’s Lymphoma
• Human papillomavirus
9 Benign warts
9 Cervical Carcinoma
• Human T-cell Leukaemia Virus (HTLV-1)
9 Leukaemia
• Hepatitis C virus
9 Liver carcinoma
Virus-induced tumours
Virus
Infection

[ ]
Uninfected Uncontrolled cell
Cell growth and tumour
? formation
Virus-induced transformation
Normal cells Transformed cells
Virus-Induced Tumours
• Virus infects cell.
• Virus nucleic acid, as DNA,
integrates into cellular genome.
• Virus causes changes in cellular gene
expression.
• Uncontrolled cell multiplication and
tumour formation.
Treatment and Prevention
of Virus Infections
• Antivirals

• Vaccines and immunisation

Antiviral Targets
• Attachment/Entry

• Nucleic acid replication

• Virus protein processing

• Virus maturation
Problems with Antivirals
• Identification of virus-specific
target.

• Generation of resistant variants.