Key facts Humans can be infected with avian, swine and other zoonotic influenza viruses, such as avian influenza virus subtypes A(H5N1), A(H7N9), and A(H9N2) and swine influenza virus subtype A(H1N1), A(H1N2) and A(H3N2). Human infections are primarily acquired through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated environments, these viruses have not acquired the ability of…

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a devastating disease of cattle and buffalo caused by a Capri pox virus. It is transmitted between animals by direct contact, via arthropod vectors and iatrogenically. The virus is highly hosted specific and does not cause disease in humans. The disease has never been recorded in Australia, but internationally it has…

Humans have been battling viruses since before our species had even evolved into its modern form. For some viral diseases, vaccines and antiviral drugs have allowed us to keep infections from spreading widely, and have helped sick people recover. For one disease — smallpox — we’ve been able to eradicate it, ridding the world of…

Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild…

The viruses in the genus Antivirus infect swine, resulting in an onset of African swine fever. The name of this family and genus is derived from the English language acronym: African swine fever and related viruses. Only a single species has been described to date for this genus. This virus is the only known arthropod-borne…

Sreedevi is the public official responsible for initiating the government’s surveillance network in the district in case of an emergency epidemic outbreak. There was no way Kuttappan would call on a Saturday at close to midnight unless there was bad news to share, she thought. It turned out to be about a suspected case of…

Orthomyxovirus Receptors Background The Orthomyxoviridae family comprises five genera; Influenzavirus A – pathogens of humans, horses, pigs, mink, seals, whales, and fowl Influenzavirus B – pathogens of humans only Influenzavirus C – infect humans and pigs, these viruses rarely cause serious disease Thogotovirus – tick-borne arboviruses infecting humans and livestock in Africa, Europe, and Asia…

Abstract Two hundred young adults with common colds were studied during a 10-month period. Virus culture, antigen detection, PCR, and serology with paired samples were used to identify the infection. Viral etiology was established for 138 of the 200 patients (69%). Rhinoviruses were detected in 105 patients, coronavirus OC43 or 229E infection was detected in…

Respiratory syntactical (sin-SIS-uhf) virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. In fact, RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and…

It is a hemorrhagic virus, which means it can cause bleeding, although 8 out of every 10 people with the virus have no symptoms. If it affects the liver, kidneys, or spleen, it can be fatal. The disease is endemic to a number of West African countries. Rough estimates suggest there are between 100,000 and 300,000 cases of Lassa fever each…

At one point in time, most people have experienced the common cold and passed on its array of symptoms to others. However, a New Jersey healthcare facility is seeing the deadly effects of this virus. The adenovirus is usually responsible for the common cold, sore throat, bronchitis, diarrhea, pneumonia, and pinkeye. With a healthy immune…

Multipartite viruses have a strange lifestyle. Their genome is split up into different viral particles that, in principle, propagate independently. Completing the replication cycle, however, requires the full genome such that persistent infection of a host requires the concurrent presence of all types of particles. The origin of multipartite viruses is an evolutionary puzzle. Apart…

Key facts Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions. Monkeypox typically presents clinically with fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes….