Marburgvirus: Difference between revisions
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==Ecology and Pathogenesis== | ==Ecology and Pathogenesis== | ||
The natural history and origin of Marburg viruses remain a total mystery. It appears to be transmitted zoonotically; with human infection occuring from animals. However, all attempts to trace human cases have failed to uncover the reservoir. Speculations point to bats and rodents as probable reservoirs. Whatever the origin, human to human contact is the main route of infection and transmission in human filoviral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks. Marburg virus has been transmitted to primates by aerosol in laboratory experiments. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 05:47, 22 April 2009
Classification
Viruses; ssRNA viruses; ssRNA negative-strand viruses; Mononegavirales; Filoviridae
Species
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Marburgvirus
Description and Significance
Describe the appearance, habitat, etc. of the organism, and why you think it is important.
Genome Structure
Filoviruses are enveloped, nonsegmented negative-stranded RNA viruses. The two species, Marburg and Ebola virus, are genetically distinct with 7 genes and a total molecular length of approximately 19 kb (19112 bp), making them the owners of the largest known genomes of negative-strand RNA viruses. The virions appear long and filamentous, occasionally branched. In addition, the virions may appear as "6"-shaped, "U"-shaped, or circular configurations.
Cell Structure, Metabolism and Life Cycle
Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.
Ecology and Pathogenesis
The natural history and origin of Marburg viruses remain a total mystery. It appears to be transmitted zoonotically; with human infection occuring from animals. However, all attempts to trace human cases have failed to uncover the reservoir. Speculations point to bats and rodents as probable reservoirs. Whatever the origin, human to human contact is the main route of infection and transmission in human filoviral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks. Marburg virus has been transmitted to primates by aerosol in laboratory experiments.
References
Beer et al., 1999: Beer Brigitte, Kurth Reinhard, Bukreyev Alexander Characteristics of Filoviridae: Marburg and Ebola viruses. Naturwissenschaften. 1999; 86(1): 8 - 17. [PubMed: 10024977].
Author
Page authored by Justin Aden, student of Prof. Jay Lennon at Michigan State University.
