Virus | Clinical Importance | Group |
Variola | smallpox virus, produces systemic infection with characteristic vesicular rash affeacting face, arms and legs, has a high mortality rate | DNA Viruses
poxviruses |
Vaccinia | derived from cowpox virus, immunize against smallpox | DNA Viruses
poxviruses |
Adenovirus | cause URT infections, produce latent infections in tonsil and adenoids, produce tumors on inj into hamsters, rats or mice | DNA Viruses
adenoviruses |
Herpes simplex virus
(HSV1 and HSV2) | HSV1 infects oral membranes
HSV2 is responsible for recurrent genital herpes | DNA Viruses
herpesviruses |
Varicella zoster virus
(VZV) | causes chickenpox in children, shingles in elderly | DNA Viruses
herpesviruses |
Cytomegalovirus
(CMV) | a subclinical infection, causes severe disease in immunocompromised patients, can induce serious congenital abnormalities in the fetus | DNA Viruses
herpesviruses |
Epstein-Barr virus
(EBV) | infection by salivary exchange, asmyptomatic, persists in latent form in lymphocytes, results glandular fever, malignant facial tumors (Burkitt's lymphoma) in children | DNA Viruses
herpesviruses |
Hepatitis B virus
(HBV) | infection in children by prenatal transmission, contaminated blood or sexual transmission, can progress liver cancer | DNA Viruses
hepatitis viruses |
Papilloma virus | multiply in epithelial cells of skin and mucous membranes causing warts, associated with cervical carcinoma | DNA Viruses
papovaviruses |
Mumps virus | swelling of parotid and submaxillary salivary glands, has neurological complications | RNA Viruses
paramyxoviruses |
Measles virus | common childhood fever | RNA Viruses
paramyxoviruses |
Rabies virus | has very wide host range, can cause fatal encephalitis | RNA Viruses
rhabdoviruses |
Rotavirus | causes gastroenteritis, spread through poor water supplies and low general hygiene | RNA Viruses
reoviruses |
Poliovirus | multiplies in lymphoid tissue of alimentary tract | RNA Viruses
picornaviruses |
Rhinoviruses | common cold virus, shed in watery nasal secretions | RNA Viruses
picornaviruses |
Hepatitis A virus
(HAV) | responsible for infectious hepatitis, spread by oral-faecal route | RNA Viruses
picornaviruses |
Rubella | causes german measles in children, can induce severe multiple congenital abnormalities | RNA Viruses
togaviruses |
Yellow fever virus | spread by mosquito bites, with liver as main target, necrosis of hepatocytes leads to jaundice and fever | RNA Viruses
flaviviruses |
Hepatitis C virus
(HCV) | spread through blood transfusions and blood products | RNA Viruses
flaviviruses |
Ebola virus | widespread in monkeys, spread through body fluids, results in hemorrhagic fever | RNA Viruses
filoviruses |
Human T-cell leukaemia virus
(HTLV-1) | spread in infected lymphocytes in blood, semen or breast milk | RNA Viruses
retroviruses |
Human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV) | transmitted via blood or genital secretions, induces immunodeficiency | RNA Viruses
retroviruses |
Hepatitis D virus
(HDV) | exacerbates pathogenic effects of HBV producing severe hepatitis | RNA Viruses
hepatitis viruses |
Influenza virus | capable of extensive antigenic variation, causes pandemics of influenza, multiplies in cells lining URT, symptoms caused by absorption of toxic breakdown products | RNA Viruses
myxoviruses |