The rapid clearance of acute viral infections is a consequence of robust host defenses. Survivors of acute infections are usually immune to infection with the same virus. If the immune response is so effective, why do some viral infections – such as the common cold or influenza – occur repeatedly? Acute infections recur because selection …
Antigenic variation explains recurring acute infections Read More »
Endoparasitic wasps inject their eggs into moth or butterfly larvae, which are cannibalized as the eggs mature and develop into adult wasps. The wasp larvae survive in the caterpillars because the eggs are injected together with virus particles called polydnaviruses. These viruses replicate in cells of the caterpillar, and their genomes express proteins that modify …
The sequence of all known rhinovirus genomes reported in Science last week is an important advance for the field. Analyses of the sequences have revealed new relationships among the viruses, evidence for recombination, a new viral species, and conserved regions of the genome. These findings will be extremely valuable for those studying the biology, pathogenesis, and …
Is an effective treatment for the common cold at hand? Read More »
On This Week in Virology episode 20, Vincent, Dick, and Alan are joined by hepatitis C virus expert Matt Evans. They converse about TED, the Wakefield autism controversy, 99 rhinovirus sequences, Marburg in the USA, and hepatitis C virus. Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #20.
While preparing a figure for a review article on innate sensing of RNA, I realized that the image was taking on facial features. I thought the readers of virology blog might be amused by the image that I created. Click on the thumbnail at left for a larger view. Now you know that I have …
An acute viral infection is characterized by rapid onset of disease, a relatively brief period of symptoms, and resolution within days. It is usually accompanied by early production of infectious virions and elimination of infection by the host immune system. Acute viral infections are typically observed with pathogens such as influenza virus and rhinovirus. Ebola …
