Virology

Catalog description

The concepts and methods of virology are covered, with emphasis on animal viruses, within the framework of cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, immunology, pathology, and epidemiology. The strategies that a wide variety of different DNA and RNA viruses, including some new and emerging ones, use to replicate and express their genomes during infection of host cells will be examined in some detail. The effects that viruses inflict on these cells will also be examined, as will some of the host cell responses generated by such virus-cell interactions, including interferon induction, the antiviral response generated by interferon, and oncogenic transformation. In addition, anoverview of procedures used for prevention and treatment of viral diseases via vaccinesand antiviral drugs, respectively, will be presented, as will a brief discussion of viroids and prions, and the characteristics of these agents which distinguish them from viruses. Prerequisites: 03-240 or 03-320