Principles of Viral

Infections
Dr. dr. Ni Nyoman Sri Budayanti, SpMK(K)
 Why Study Viruses ????
• Viruses are important disease-causing
diseases :
– Most feared, widespread, devastating human
diseases
– Newly emerging human diseases
• Viruses can infect all forms of life
• Viruses are the most abundant form of life on
earth
– bacteriophages
The study of viruses has led to numerous
discoveries in molecular and cell biology
• Gene expression small DNA viruses  promoters
for eukaryotic RNA polymerases
• Replication bacteriophage and animal virus DNAs
 understanding the enzymes involved in
cellular DNA replication
• Studying mRNAs of DNA viruses  RNA splicing
in eukaryotic cell
• Cancer-producing viruses  celluler oncogenes
• RNA tumor viruses  upsetting Central dogma
 WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
• Health care professionals must understand the
pathogenic mechanisms used by these
pathogens.
General characteristics of virus
 General characteristics of virus
• Particles composed of an internal core
(DNA/RNA), covered by protein coat
• Obligate intracellular parasites
• Replicate in specific manner (not binnary
fission or mitosis)

Viruses are different with bacteria.

 Structure of virus
• Viral nucleic acid (DNA/RNA)
• Capsid: protein coat made up by capsomers
Nucleocapsid:nucleic acid + capsid 
icosahedral and helical
• Viral protein: structural and non structural
• Envelope: lipoprotein membrane (lipid
derived from host cell membrane)
matrix: interaction between capsid and
envelope
Stages:
1. Attachment and
penetration
2. Uncoating
3. Early viral mRNA
synthesis
4. Early viral protein
synthesis
5. Viral genome
replication
6. Late viral mRNA
synthesis
7. Late viral protein
synthesis
8. Assembly
9. Release
 Virus classification
• Viruses are classified into related groups based
on :
– Genome composition
– Genome topology
– Capsid symmetry
– Presence or absence of an envelope
– Genetic relatedness (nucleotide / amino acid
sequence similarity)
– Mechanism for expressing mRNA and replication of
genomes
– Host organism
Classification of RNA Viruses
Classification of Human Viruses
 Viral Pathogenesis
• Viral pathogenesis is the process by which a viral
infection leads to disease.
• Viral pathogenesis is an abnormal situation of no
value to the virus.
• The majority of viral infections are subclinical. It is
not in the interest of the virus to severely harm or kill
the host.
• The consequences of viral infections depend on the
interplay between a number of viral and host factors.
 Pathogenesis of viral infections
• Can be viewed on 2 levels:
– Changes that occur within individual cells
– Process in the infected patient
 The infected cells
• Death: inhibition of host cell protein synthesis
• Fusion of cells to form multinucleated cells
• Malignant transformation
• No apparent morphologic or functional
change

CPE (cytopathic effect): a visual or functional

change of infected cells
 The infected patient
• Transmission and entry
• Replication and damage to cells
• Spread of the virus to other cells and organ
• Immune response
• (Persistance of the virus)
 VIRULENCE
There are three ways to measure viral virulence
:
•LD50 – how much virus is required to kill
50% of a subject population
•ID50 – how much virus is required to infect
50% of a subject population
•PD50 – how much virus is required to paralyze
50% of a subject population.
Di saraf
 © Kent Wood / Science Photo Library

Microbiology: A Clinical Approach © Garland Science

 Major Viral Pathogens
Structure Viruses
DNA enveloped Herpesviruses (HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, CMV,
viruses EBV, HHV 8), hepatitis B virus,
smallpoxvirus
DNA nucleocapsid Adenovirus, papillomavirus, parvovirus B19
viruses

RNA enveloped Influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, RSV,

viruses measles virus, mumps virus, rubella
virus, rabies virus,HTLV-1, HIV, hepatitis
C virus
RNA nucleocapsid Enterovirus (polioviruses, coxscakieviruses,
viruses echoviruses, hepatitis A virus),
rhinovirus, rotavirus, norwalkvirus)
 Summary
• General characteristic of viruses
• Structure
• Replication
• Classification
• Pathogenesis
• Medically important viruses

Viruses are different with other pathogenic

agent