Written

Report in
Microbiolo
gy
(DNA-enveloped viruses to DNA
non-enveloped viruses)

Group 5

Cruz, Emmanuel John E.

De Jesus, Adrian Addie N.
Delos Reyes, Mc Einarson L.
 Professor Lester Camacho
Microbiology Professor

Virus

Viruses are particles which can only be seen with an electron microscope, and
they are acellular. Virus varies in size from the largest poxviruses of about 450
nanometers (about 0.000014 in) in length to the smallest polioviruses of about 30
nanometers (about 0.000001 in). A virus particle contains a core made of only one type
of nucleic acid, either DNA or RNA. This core is surrounded by a protein coat named
capsid. Sometimes the coat is encased by an additional layer, a lipid membrane called
envelope. All living cells have RNA and DNA can carry out chemical reactions, and can
reproduce as self sufficient units. Viruses can reproduce only by using the cellular
machinery of other organism. Thus, on the one hand viruses are considered to be living
when they multiply within host cells they infect. In this sense, viruses are parasites of
other forms of life. On the other hand, viruses are not considered to be living because
outside of living hosts they are inert.

Diseases such as herpes, rabies, influenza, some cancers, poliomyelitis, and

yellow fever are of viral origin. Of the estimated 1000 to 1500 types of viruses,
approximately 250 cause disease in humans (over 100 of which cause the common cold),
and 100 infect other animals.

Viruses are able to survive and reproduce only in the living cells of a host. Once a
virus invades a living cell, it directs the cell to make new virus particles. These new
viruses are released into the surrounding tissues, and seek out new cells to infect.

1. DNA Enveloped Viruses

The genome replication of most DNA viruses takes place in the cell's nucleus. If
the cell has the appropriate receptor on its surface, these viruses enter the cell by fusion
with the cell membrane or by endocytosis. Most DNA viruses are entirely dependent on
the host cell's DNA and RNA synthesising machinery, and RNA processing machinery.
The viral genome must cross the cell's nuclear membrane to access this machinery.

A. Herpes simplex virus 1&2

Herpes Simplex Virus 1

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is usually associated with infections

of the lips, mouth, and face. It is the most common herpes simplex virus and is
mostly developed in childhood by many people. HSV-1 often causes sores
(lesions) inside the mouth, such as cold sores (fever blisters), or infection of the
eye (especially the conjunctiva and cornea). It can also lead to infection of the
lining of the brain (meningoencephalitis). It is transmitted by contact with
infected saliva. By adulthood, 30 - 90% of people will have antibodies to HSV-1.
The likelihood of childhood infection is higher among those with lower socio-
economic status.

HSV Type 1 infections are tiny, clear, fluid-filled blisters that most often
occur on the face. Less frequently, Type 1 infections can occur in the genital area.
Type 1 may also develop in wounds on the skin.

The number of blisters varies from one to a group of blisters. Before the
blisters appear, the skin may itch, sting, burn, or tingle. The blisters can break as a
result of minor injury, allowing the fluid inside the blisters to ooze and crust.
Eventually, crusts fall off, leaving slightly red healing skin.

The sores from the primary infection heal completely and rarely leave a
scar. However, the virus that caused the infection remains in the body. It moves to
nerve cells where it remains in a resting state.

People may then have a recurrence either in the same location as the first
infection or in a nearby site. The infection may recur every few weeks or not at
all.

Recurrent infections tend to be mild. They can be set off by a variety of

factors including fever, sun exposure, a menstrual period, trauma (including
surgery), or nothing at all.
Herpes Simplex Virus 2

Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is usually, but not always, sexually

transmitted. Symptoms include genital ulcers or sores. However, some people
with HSV-2 have no symptoms. Up to 30% of adults in the U.S. have antibodies
against HSV-2. Cross-infection of type 1 and 2 viruses may occur from oral-
genital contact. That is, you can get genital herpes on your mouth and oral herpes
on your genital area.

Infection with HSV Type 2 usually results in sores on the buttocks, penis,
vagina, or cervix, two to twenty days after contact with an infected person. Sexual
intercourse is the most frequent means of getting the infection. Both primary and
repeat attacks can cause problems including: a minor rash or itching, painful
sores, fever, aching muscles, and a burning sensation with urination. HSV Type 2
may also occur in other locations, but is usually found below the waist.

As with Type 1, sites and frequency of repeated bouts vary. The initial
episode can be so mild that a person does not realize that he or she has an
infection. Years later, when there is a recurrence of HSV, it may be mistaken for
an initial attack, leading to unfair accusations about the source of infection.

B. Varicella-Zoster Virus

VZV is a member of the herpesvirus family. It is a dsDNA enveloped

virus with a genome size of 125 kbp, with long and short fragments with a total of
4 isometric forms. Like other herpesviruses, they immediate early and late
proteins that are being synthesized. Thus, it replicates like HSV. Humans are its
natural hosts.

VZV is transmitted by respiratory droplets by the airborne route, also by

having direct contact to the lesions of the person affected. Firsts, it infects the
upper respiratory tract and then spreads by the blood to the skin thus, causing
vesicular rash, fever, malaise, headache and sore throat. The skin lesions are
certainly full of infectious virus particles whilst in contrast, it is almost impossible
to isolate virus from the upper respiratory tract. After an incubation period of 14
days, the virus arrives at its main target organ, the skin. The virus probably
 spreads to other organ systems in the body without any ill effect. However, in
immunocompromised individuals and neonates, dissemination can cause serious
infection of the lungs and brain. Recovery from infection is thought to result in
lifelong immunity.

VZV is the virus that causes Chickenpox and Shingles.

Chickenpox is an acute, generalized viral infection, characterized by fever,

mild constitutional symptoms, and a skin rash. Vesicles also form in mucous
membranes. Usually chickenpox is a mild, self-limiting disease, but can be
severely damaging to a fetus when a person is pregnant. Chickenpox is most
contagious from 2 to 3 days before a rash develops until blisters have crusted
over. Chickenpox is most common in children and is usually not serious. In
teenagers, adults, pregnant women, and people who have impaired immune
systems, chickenpox can be more serious.

The symptoms are red, itchy skin rash that usually appears first on the
abdomen or back and face, and then spreads to almost everywhere else on the
body, including the scalp, mouth, nose, ears, and genitals. The rash starts with
multiple small red bumps that look like pimples or insect bites which develop into
thin-walled blisters filled with clear fluid, which becomes cloudy. The blister wall
breaks, leaving open sores, which finally crust over to become dry, brown scabs.

On the other hand, Shingles is a reactivation of the varicella virus. After a

person gets better from chickenpox, the virus is dormant in his nerve roots. In
some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus "wakes up" when
disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system. But after the virus becomes
active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox.

In addition to that, shingles is a viral infection which causes painful

vesicles along the course of a sensory nerve of the head or trunk. It is most
common in older people and to those who have weak immune systems because of
stress, injury or other reasons.

Shingle’s symptoms include having a headache or being sensitive to light,

feeling of having flu but not having it. Then later a person will feel itching,
tingling or pain in a certain area of which where a band, strip, or a small area of
rash may occur a few days later. Thus, the rash turns into clusters of blisters
which takes 2 to 4 weeks to heal and may leave scars.

C. Cytomegalovirus (cyto = cell, megalo = large)

- It is an enveloped, double stranded DNA virus that belongs to the herpesvirus
family.
 - Its name derives from the fact that infected cells are two or more times the
size of normal cell.
- Like other herpesvirus, CMV can cause lysis of the infected cell or become
latent and subject to later reactivation.
- It may be acquired early in life but is latent, and can be activated when
immune system is suppressed that results to serious symptoms.
Disease Produced: Cytomegalovirus Disease
• Symptoms: In immunocompetent individuals, it is asymptomatic. But in
some adolescents and young adults, it may develop illness resembling
infectious mononucleosis, with fever, fatigue and enlarges lymph nodes
and spleen for weeks or months. While to the fetus, this condition may
cause serious damage called congenital cytomegalic inclusion disease. It is
characterized by jaundice, large liver, anemia, eye inflammation, and
some birth defects. Vast majority of infected infants appear normal at
birth, but 5% to 25% experience hearing loss, mental retardation and other
abnormalities as they grow up. Immunocompromised individuals may
experience blindness, lethargy, dementia, paralysis, ulcerations of
gastrointestinal tract with bleeding, comatose and brain damage.
• Pathogenesis: Many tissues susceptible to infection, damage, especially
eyes, brain and liver. CMV latent infection can reactivate, produce
infectious virions, tissue necrosis. CD4+T-lymphocyte count is depressed
and thus can enhance HIV disease.
• Epidemiology: Common worldwide; lifelong infection. More than 50% of
18- to 25-year-olds are infected. Infants with congenital infections and
those infected shortly after birth shed the virus for months or years. Body
fluids, including breast milk, blood, urine, semen, and vaginal secretions,
can transmit the disease. Almost all prostitutes and promiscuous
homosexual men are infected with CMV.
• Prevention and Treatment: No vaccine available. Condoms decrease
transmission CMV-negative immunodeficient persons advised to avoid
day care centres, wash their hands following contact with bodily fluids of
infants. Blood and tissue transplants are tested for CMV before being
given to CMV-negative individuals. The antiviral medication ganciclovir
is considered for immunodeficient individuals who have antibody to CMV
and whose CD4+T-lymphocyte count falls below 50 cells per µl.
Treatment – ganciclovir plus foscamet.

D. Epstein-Barr Virus
- It is named after its discoverers, M.A. Epstein and Y.M. Barr.
- It is a double-stranded DNA virus of the herpesvirus family that was
discovered early in 1960’s when it is isolated from Burkitt’s Lymphoma
(malignant tumor derived from B lymphocytes).
 - It stays in the saliva for up to 18 months after infectious
mononucleosis, and thereafter it occurs intermittently for life.
- The donor of this virus is usually asymptomatic and may have been
infected in the past, not showing any symptoms.
- One of the important modes of transmission of this disease is
mouth-to-mouth, giving rise to its name.
Disease Caused: Infectious Mononucleosis (“Kissing Disease”)
• Symptoms: Its symptoms usually appear after one to two months.
Some of these are fever, sore throat covered with pus, marked fatigue and
enlargement of the spleen and lymph nodes. The first two symptoms are gone in
two weeks while the latter in three weeks. They can go back to their daily activities
in four weeks but to those who cannot cope easily, it may last for months.
• Pathogenesis: Productive infection of epithelial cells of throat and
salivary ducts; latent infection of B lymphocytes; hemorrhage from enlarged
spleen is a rare but serious complications. Evidence suggests that EB virus may be
a factor, however, in some malignancies in patients with immunodeficiency from
AIDS or organ transplants.
• Epidemiology: Spread by saliva; lifelong recurrent shedding of virus
into saliva of asymptomatic, latently infected individuals. It is common to many
students because of its high incidence among people between 15 and 24 years old.
• Prevention and Treatment: Avoid sharing of articles such as
toothbrushes and drinking glasses, which may be contaminated with the virus from
saliva. Treatment – usually none needed; acyclovir of benefit in rare cases.

E. Hapatitis B Virus (HBV) or Orthohepadnavirus [or′thohepad′nahvi

′rus]

- a genus of hepadnaviruses that includes the hepatitis B virus

infecting humans and other mammals.

- is the pathogenic agent that causes chronic hepatitis (Hepatitis type

B) in mammals, which may eventually lead to either cirrhosis or liver
cancer if not detected and treated.

- is classified as the type species of the Orthohepadnavirus, which

contains three other species: the Ground squirrel hepatitis virus,
Woodchuck hepatitis virus, and the Woolly monkey hepatitis B virus. The
genus is classified as part of the Hepadnaviridae family, which contains
two other genera, the Avihepadnavirus and a second which has yet to be
assigned. This family of viruses have not been assigned to a viral order.
Viruses similar to Hepatitis B have been found in all the Old World great
apes (orangutan, gibbons, gorillas and chimpanzees) and from a New World
 woolly monkey suggesting an ancient origin for this virus in primates.

2. DNA non-enveloped viruses

A. Adenoviruses

- are medium-sized (90–100 nm), nonenveloped (naked) icosehdral

viruses composed of a nucleocapsid and a double-stranded linear DNA
genome.
- represent the largest nonenveloped viruses. Because of their large
size, they are able to be transported through the endosome (i.e. envelope
fusion is not necessary). The virion also has a unique "spike" or fiber
associated with each penton base of the capsid that aids in attachment to the
host cell via the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor on the surface of the host
cell.
- Adenovirus infections most commonly cause illness of the
respiratory system, they may also cause various other illnesses, such as
gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, cystitis, and rash illness. Symptoms of
respiratory illness caused by adenovirus infection range from the common
cold syndrome to pneumonia, croup, and bronchitis. Patients with
compromised immune systems are especially susceptible to severe
complications of adenovirus infection. Acute respiratory disease (ARD),
can be caused by adenovirus infections during conditions of crowding and
stress.