Virology and Immunology

Virology, Viral Classification and Evaluation of Viruses

Virology is the study of viruses that are submicroscopic and parasitic particles of genetic material which are coated with a protein coat and virus-like agents. Virology deals with structure of virus their classification and also tells about the evolution of viruses and how they infect and exploit host cells for reproduction. It also tells about their interaction with host organism physiology and immunity and the diseases that are caused due to them. Techniques that are used to isolate and culture them, and their use in research and therapy. Virology is a subfield of microbiology or it can be of medicine.

Viruses can be classified according to the host cell they infect on like animal viruses, plant viruses, fungal viruses, and bacteriophages. Another classification can be done based on the geometrical shape of their capsid or the virus's structure. Viruses range in size from about 30 nm to about 450 nm, that is most of them are not visible with light microscopes. So the shape and structure of viruses can be studied under electron microscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography.

Viruses can evaluation rapidly and in particular RNA viruses, have relatively high mutation rates. Due to this elevated mutation rate, when they combine with natural viruses, it allows viruses to quickly adapt to changes in their host environment. Although the chance of mutations and evolution can change depending on the type of virus, viruses overall have high chances for mutations.