Viral disease

A disease caused by infection with a virus, which reproduces inside living cells and can damage or disrupt their functions.

Viral replication: The process by which a virus makes copies of its genome and produces new virus particles inside host cells. Replication inside host cells drives infection and can disrupt cellular functions.
Transmission of infectious diseases: The movement of pathogens between hosts through routes such as contact, air, food, or vectors. Transmission routes explain how viral diseases pass between people and populations.
Virus: An infectious agent that replicates only inside living cells, using host machinery to produce new virus particles. Viruses are the agents that cause viral diseases.
Epidemiology: The study of the distribution and determinants of health conditions in populations. Epidemiology tracks viral disease patterns and identifies factors influencing spread.
Tropism: The tendency of a virus to infect particular species, tissues, or cell types. Tropism helps determine which organs a viral disease affects.
Polymerase chain reaction: A laboratory method that amplifies selected DNA sequences for detection and analysis. PCR-based tests can detect genetic material from viruses.
Host cell: A living cell that provides resources or machinery used by an infectious agent. Viruses depend on host cells to replicate.
Long COVID: A condition involving persistent or new symptoms after acute COVID-19. It is a prominent example of lasting health effects after viral disease.
Cytopathic effect: Structural or functional changes in host cells caused by viral infection. Cell injury and dysfunction can directly contribute to symptoms.
Antiviral drug: A medicine that inhibits viral infection or replication. Antivirals can treat particular viral diseases by targeting stages of replication.

Linked from 8 pages