Viruses

Freedom is the most contagious virus known to man - Hubert H. Humphrey

Viruses

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Viruses love what we’ve done with the planet

Viruses have a straightforward mission: enter cells, reproduce, burst forth, and repeat. The constant copying eventually destroys so many cells, whatever living thing is acting as the virus’s host will fall ill.

That’d be one thing—bad, but not devastating—if these viruses stayed the same as they perpetuated. Then we could likely, eventually, create vaccines for all of the viruses that infect humans. But, as viruses copy themselves using the machinery of their host’s cells, they constantly mutate. Inevitably, some of these mutations are advantageous, enabling the virus to, for example, spread faster or infect a new type of host. Thanks to mutations, there are over 200 “zoonotic”…

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 Viruses love what we’ve done with the planet

Viruses have a straightforward mission: enter cells, reproduce, burst forth, and repeat. The constant copying eventually destroys so many cells, whatever living thing is acting as the virus’s host will fall ill. That’d be one thing—bad, but not devastating—if these viruses stayed the same as they perpetuated. Then we could likely, eventually, create vaccines for all of the viruses that infect humans. But, as viruses copy themselves using the machinery of their host’s cells, they constantly mutate. Inevitably, some of these mutations are advantageous, enabling the virus to, for example, spread faster or infect a new type of host. Thanks to mutations, there are over 200 “zoonotic” viruses that can jump between animals and humans, including notorious infections like HIV, Ebola, hepatitis, hanta virus, and several strains of the flu. These are the ones we’re not ready for.

5 Viruses That Are Scarier Than Ebola

Although some of these viruses have far lower mortality rates than that of Ebola, they are more prevalent in developed nations, and kill more people annually than Ebola does. Here are five viruses that are just as dangerous (if not more so) than Ebola...

Global Virus Network

The GVN mission is to strengthen medical research and response to current viral causes of human disease and to prepare for new viral pandemic threats.

Virology Down Under

Facts, data, info, expert opinion and a reasonable, occassionally grumpy, voice on viruses: what they are, how they tick and the illnesses they may cause.

All the Virology on the WWW

This is a collection of the web sites of scientific societies of interest to virologists. These pages often contain information on the society, its interests and goals, staff, and membership as well as pointers to other sites of microbial interest. These sites are listed alphabetically by the type of group.

Medical Virology

Scientific findings, clinical therapies research, and public health aspects on viruses of medical importance.

This Week in Virology

This Week in Virology (TWiV) is a podcast – or netcast, as some prefer to call them, since you don’t need an iPod to listen – about viruses. It was begun in September 2008 by Vincent Racaniello and Dick Despommier, two science Professors at Columbia University Medical Center. Their goal was to have an informal yet informative conversation about viruses which would be accessible to everyone, no matter what their science background.

ViralZone

A knowledge resource to understand virus diversity.

Virology Blog

The purpose of this blog is to teach you about viruses and viral disease. This topic is not one that everyone understands, yet nearly everyone would like to. I was most disturbed when the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy G. Thompson, referred to the anthrax bacillus as a virus. That incident crystallized in my mind the need to better educate the public about viruses.

Viruses 101

What's multiplying in you?

Wong's Virology

This site contains notes on various aspects of virology. It is designed as a study aid for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Besides general information on virology and individual viruses, this site also contains suggested answers to some likely examination questions in virology as well as some ready-to-use slide sets. My name is Derek Wong and I am a medical virologist working in Hong Kong.

CReSA and the City

Viral comments.

European Virus Archive

Project aiming to create a European network of high calibre laboratories with the expertise to collect, amplify, characterise, standardise, authenticate, distribute and track all viruses.

Global Viral

Global Viral’s mission is to promote understanding, exploration and stewardship of the microbial world.

Popular Science

Various articles.

Wired

Various articles.

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