Medical Virology

Lecture (5)

By
Dr.Dalia M. Mohsen

Objective
Comparison between viruses and
bacteria
Atypical virus like agents.
Virus and cancer
Discuss antiviral therapy

Comparison between viruses

and
No bacteria
Property
Viruses
Bacteria
1

Size

20-300 nm

1000 nm

Genome
(type of nucleic acid)

DNA or RNA
but
not both

DNA and RNA

Cell wall

Envelope
present
in some
viruses

Cell wall

Ribosomes

No ribosomes

Ribosomes

Sensitivity to
antibiotics

Growth in culture
media

Grow only in
living host cell

Atypical virus like agents

1-DEFECTIVE VIRUSES:
Are composed of viral nucleic acid and
proteins but cannot replicate without a
helper virus, which provides the missing
function.
These usually have a mutation or a deletion
of part of their genetic material.

Atypical virus like agents

2- PSEUDOVIRIONS :
Contain host cell DNA instead of viral DNA
within the capsid. They are formed during
infection with certain viruses when the host
cell DNA is fragmented and pieces are
incorporated within the capsid. Pseudovirions
can infect cell, but they dont replicate.

Atypical virus like agents

3-PRIONS:
1) Are infectious particles that are composed
solely of protein.
2) They contain no detectable nucleic acid.

virus and cancer

Some DNA viruses that synthesize DNA during
their replication are capable to induce malignant
transformation of cells.
CHARACTERS OF TRANSFORMED CELLS:

Increase rate of multiplication and

metabolism.

Cells show morphological and

chromosomal abnormalities

Viruses implicated in
human
cancer Tumor
Virus
DNA Viruses:
Human papiloma
viruses(HPV)

Carcinoma of skin

Nasopharyngeal
Epstein Barr virus (EBV) carcinoma
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
RNA viruses:
Human T-cell
Lymphotropic
Retrovirus (HTLV-1 )

Hepatocellular
carcinoma
Adult T-cell leukemia
lymphoma
Liver cancer

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)

Antiviral therapy

Since

viruses

are

obligate

intracellular

parasites, it is difficult to find an antiviral drug

that

selectively

affecting

the

inhibits
cell

the

(selective

virus

without

toxicity).Few

antiviral drugs are in clinical use. They act by

stopping

virus

attachment,

penetration,

uncoating or intracellular synthesis.

The potential points of inhibitory

action of antiviral drugs include:
Interference

with

virus

adsorption

or

attachment to the receptor- binding site on

the cell.
Inhibition of viral uncoating.
Inhibition of viral nucleic acid, transcription

and

replication.

Prevention of virus budding or interference

with virus

maturation

Thank
you