Canadian Medical Guide > Organisms > Viruses > RNA Viruses Terms and Definitions

RNA Viruses

Medical Definition:	Viruses whose genetic material is RNA.
Guide Notes:	avoid: too general; prefer specifics; infection = RNA VIRUS INFECTIONS
Also Called:	RNA Rodent Viruses

RNA Viruses Categories.

	Arenaviridae - A family of RNA viruses naturally infecting rodents and consisting of one genus (ARENAVIRUS) with two groups: Old World Arenaviruses (ARENAVIRUSES, OLD WORLD) and New World Arenaviruses (ARENAVIRUSES, NEW WORLD). Infection in rodents is persistent and silent. Vertical transmission is through milk-, saliva-, or urine-borne routes. Horizontal transmission to humans, monkeys, and other animals is important.
	Astroviridae - A family of RNA viruses with one genus: ASTROVIRUS. They cause gastroenteritis in humans and also infect other vertebrates.
	Birnaviridae - A family of bisegmented, double-stranded RNA viruses causing infection in fish, mollusks, fowl, and Drosophila. There are three genera: AQUABIRNAVIRUS; AVIBIRNAVIRUS; and ENTOMOBIRNAVIRUS. Horizontal and vertical transmission occurs for all viruses.
	Bunyaviridae - A family of viruses, mainly arboviruses, consisting of a single strand of RNA. Virions are enveloped particles 90-120 nm diameter. The complete family contains over 300 members arranged in five genera: BUNYAVIRUS; HANTAVIRUS; NAIROVIRUS; PHLEBOVIRUS; and TOSPOVIRUS.
	Caliciviridae - A family of RNA viruses infecting a broad range of animals. Most individual species are restricted to their natural hosts. They possess a characteristic six-pointed starlike shape whose surfaces have cup-shaped (chalice) indentions. Transmission is by contaminated food, water, fomites, and occasionally aerosolization of secretions. Genera include LAGOVIRUS; NORWALK-LIKE VIRUSES; SAPPORO-LIKE VIRUSES; and VESIVIRUS.
	Flaviviridae - A family of RNA viruses, many of which cause disease in humans and domestic animals. There are three genera FLAVIVIRUS; PESTIVIRUS; and HEPACIVIRUS, as well as several unassigned species.
	Mononegavirales - An order comprising four families of eukaryotic viruses possessing linear, non-segmented, negative-strand RNA genomes. The families are BORNAVIRIDAE; FILOVIRIDAE; PARAMYXOVIRIDAE; and RHABDOVIRIDAE.
	Nidovirales - An order comprising two families of eukaryotic viruses possessing linear, nonsegmented, positive sense RNA genomes. The families are CORONAVIRIDAE and ARTERIVIRIDAE.
	Orthomyxoviridae - A family of RNA viruses causing INFLUENZA and other diseases. There are four recognized genera: INFLUENZAVIRUS A; INFLUENZAVIRUS B; INFLUENZAVIRUS C; and THOGOTOVIRUS.
	Picobirnavirus - Unclassified, bisegmented, double-stranded RNA virus isolated from the feces of humans and other animals. Some reports associate it with gastroenteritis in humans.
	Picornaviridae - A family of small RNA viruses comprising some important pathogens of humans and animals. Transmission usually occurs mechanically. There are six genera: APHTHOVIRUS; CARDIOVIRUS; ENTEROVIRUS; HEPATOVIRUS; PARECHOVIRUS; and RHINOVIRUS.
	Reoviridae - A family of unenveloped RNA viruses with cubic symmetry. The eight genera include ORTHOREOVIRUS; ORBIVIRUS; COLTIVIRUS; ROTAVIRUS; Aquareovirus, Cypovirus, Phytoreovirus, Fijivirus, and Oryzavirus.
	Retroviridae - Family of RNA viruses that infects birds and mammals and encodes the enzyme reverse transcriptase. The family contains seven genera: DELTARETROVIRUS; LENTIVIRUS; RETROVIRUSES TYPE B, MAMMALIAN; ALPHARETROVIRUS; GAMMARETROVIRUS; RETROVIRUSES TYPE D; and SPUMAVIRUS. A key feature of retrovirus biology is the synthesis of a DNA copy of the genome which is integrated into cellular DNA. After integration it is sometimes not expressed but maintained in a latent state (PROVIRUSES).
	Togaviridae - A family of RNA viruses, mainly arboviruses, consisting of two genera: ALPHAVIRUS (group A arboviruses), and RUBIVIRUS. Virions are spherical, 60-70 nm in diameter, with a lipoprotein envelope tightly applied to the icosahedral nucleocapsid.
	Totiviridae - A family of RNA viruses that infect fungi and protozoa. There are three genera: TOTIVIRUS; GIARDIAVIRUS; and LEISHMANIAVIRUS.

RNA Viruses Medical Definitions and Terms

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