Viruses
No plant or animal can be
cured of a virus disease.
Prevention is the only economic control for virus diseases.
Viruses consist of a nucleic acid core and a protein coat.
All Viruses have Common Properties
Viruses are very common. Very likely every living organism is the host
for some viruses. All viruses have these common properties.
- Viruses can multiply only within a living cell.
- A given virus can usally grow only within one species of plant or animal
or only within a few related species or genera.
- Viruses are of two types temperate (latent or lysogenic) and virulent.
- Plant viruses do not attack animals and vice versa.
- Temperate viruses embedd them selves within the hosts nucleic acid
- Bacteria, algae, fungi, plants, animals, and humans have viruses.
- Often viruses reside in their host without causing any disease or symptom.
Introductory Pages to Viruses
After you understand the above properties of viruses go to one of the
pages below. That page(s) will have links to the specific viruses you are
interested in.
- V020 - Bacteriophages are viruses which attack bacteria
- V030 - Introduction to viruses attacking plants
- V040 - Introduction to viruses attacking animals