Virology Terms
Virology is the study of viruses, infectious particles that can multiply only inside living cells. These terms cover how viruses are built and multiply, major human viruses such as HIV, influenza and coronaviruses, and the vaccines and antiviral drugs used against them.
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- CapsidVirologyA capsid is the protein shell of a virus that surrounds and protects its genome, built from many repeating protein subunits called capsomeres.
- CoronavirusVirologyA coronavirus is an enveloped RNA virus with club-shaped surface spikes; members cause illnesses ranging from colds to SARS, MERS and COVID-19.
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- Helper T cellImmunologyA helper T cell is a CD4 T lymphocyte that coordinates immune responses, releasing cytokines that activate B cells, killer T cells and macrophages.
- HepatitisMedicineHepatitis is liver inflammation, most often caused by a hepatitis virus but also by alcohol, toxins, some medicines or autoimmune disease.
- HIVVirologyHIV is a retrovirus that infects and destroys CD4 helper T cells, weakening the immune system and, without treatment, leading to AIDS.
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- InfluenzaVirologyInfluenza, or flu, is a contagious infection of the nose, throat and lungs caused by influenza viruses that brings sudden fever, cough and aches.
- InterferonImmunologyAn interferon is a cytokine that cells release when infected by a virus, putting nearby cells into an antiviral state and activating immune cells.
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- Lysogenic cycleVirologyThe lysogenic cycle is a phage life cycle in which viral DNA joins the host bacterium's chromosome and is copied with it instead of killing the cell.
- Lytic cycleVirologyThe lytic cycle is a viral life cycle in which a phage takes over a bacterial cell, makes many copies of itself, then bursts the cell to release them.
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- RetrovirusVirologyA retrovirus is an RNA virus that copies its genome into DNA with reverse transcriptase and inserts that DNA into the host cell's chromosomes.
- Reverse transcriptaseVirologyReverse transcriptase is an enzyme that builds DNA from an RNA template, letting retroviruses such as HIV turn their RNA genome into DNA.
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- Viral envelopeVirologyA viral envelope is the outer lipid membrane, taken from a host cell and studded with viral proteins, that surrounds the capsid of some viruses.
- VirusVirologyA virus is a tiny infectious particle of DNA or RNA inside a protein coat that can multiply only by taking over the machinery of a living host cell.
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