Asked Sep 29, 2019

What is the virus transmission, the morphology and the family name of the virus that causes influenza virus?


Expert Answer

Step 1

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by an influenza virus.

Step 2

Influenza virus belongs to the family Orthomyxoviridae. It is a family that consists of RNA viruses.

It includes seven genera: 

  1. Influenzavirus A, 
  2. Influenzavirus B, 
  3. Influenzavirus C, 
  4. Influenzavirus D, 
  5. Isavirus, 
  6. Thogotovirus, and 
  7. Quaranjavirus.

The first four genera contain viruses that cause influenza in vertebrates, including birds (see also avian influenza), humans, and other mammals. Isaviruses infect salmon; the thogotoviruses are arboviruses, infecting vertebrates and invertebrates, such as ticks and mosquitoes.

The four genera of Influenza virus, which are identified by antigenic differences in their nucleoprotein and matrix protein, infect vertebrates as follows:

  • Influenzavirus Ainfects humans, other mammals, and birds, and causes all flu pandemics
  • Influenzavirus Binfects humans and seals
  • Influenzavirus Cinfects humans, pigs, and dogs.
  • Influenzavirus D infects pigs and cattle
Step 3

The virion is pleomorphic; the envelope can occur in spherical and filamentous forms. In general, the virus's morphology is ellipsoidal with particles 80 to 120 nm in diameter, or filamentous virions 80–120 nm in diamet...

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Medical Microbiology and Virology

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