B Classification of Viruses

The classification of viruses has undergone great change, as has 3. Family: Togaviridae
bacterial taxonomy. Most viruses have not even been classified
due to a lack of data concerning their reproduction and molec­
ular biology. Estimates suggest that more than 30,000 viruses are
being studied in laboratories and reference centers worldwide.
The classification and viral information presented here fol­
lows the outline given in Chapter 10 (Tables 10.1 and 10.2). In­
formation also can be found in Human Virology: A Text for Stu-
dents of Medicine, Dentistry, and Microbiology (L. Collier and J. Genera:
Oxford, 1993, Oxford University Press), and in Virology (J. Levy,
H. Fraenkel-Conrat, and R. Owens, 2d ed., 1994, Prentice-Hall). Alphavirus (eastern, western, and Venezuelan equine en­
The 21 families of viruses listed here are primarily those cephalitis viruses, Semliki forest virus)
that infect vertebrates. Thus, these families represent only a Rubivirus (rubella virus)
small part of the 108 families and unassigned genera and more
Arterivirus (equine arteritis virus, simian hemorrhagic fever
than 5,000 viruses recognized in Virus Taxonomy—Seventh Re-
virus)
port of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, van
Regenmortal et al. Eds., 2000, Academic Press, San Diego, CA. Enveloped, polyhedral, positive-sense, ssRNA. Synthesis oc­
curs in the host cell cytoplasm; maturation involves budding
1. Family: Picornaviridae of nucleocapsids through the host cell plasma membrane. Vi­
ruses are released via cell lysis (Arterivirus). Many replicate in
arthropods and vertebrates.

4. Family: Flaviviridae

Genera:
Enterovirus (gastrointestinal viruses, poliovirus, coxsackie
viruses A and B, echoviruses)
Hepatovirus (hepatitis A virus)
Cardiovirus (encephalomyocarditis virus of mice and other Genera:
­rodents) Flavivirus (yellow-fever virus, dengue fever virus, St. Louis
and Japanese encephalitis viruses, tickborne encephali­
Rhinovirus (upper respiratory tract viruses, common cold
tis virus)
­viruses)
Pestivirus (bovine diarrhea virus, hog cholera virus)
Aphthovirus (foot-and-mouth disease virus)
Hepacivirus (hepatitis C)
Naked, polyhedral, positive-sense, ssRNA. Synthesis and matura­
tion take place in the host cell cytoplasm. Viruses are released Enveloped, polyhedral, positive-sense, ssRNA. Synthesis oc­
via cell lysis. curs in the host cell cytoplasm; maturation involves budding
through host cell endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus
2. Family: Caliciviridae membranes. Most replicate in arthropods.

5. Family: Coronaviridae

Genus:
Calicivirus (Norovirus and similar viruses causing gastroenteri­
tis, hepatitis E virus)
Naked, polyhedral, positive-sense, ssRNA. Synthesis and mat­ Genus:
uration take place in the host cell cytoplasm. Viruses are re­ Coronavirus (common cold viruses, avian infectious bron­chitis
leased via cell lysis. virus, feline infectious peritonitis virus, mouse hepa­titis virus)
A-3

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 4    appendix B  Classification of Viruses

Enveloped, helical, positive-sense, ssRNA. Synthesis occurs in 9. Family: Orthomyxoviridae

the host cell cytoplasm; maturation involves ­budding through
­membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus.
Viruses are released via cell lysis.

6. Family: Rhabdoviridae
Genera:
Influenzavirus A and B (influenza viruses A and B)
Influenzavirus C (influenza C virus)
Genera:
Enveloped, helical, negative-sense, ssRNA (eight segments). Syn­
Vesiculovirus (vesicular stomatitis-like viruses) thesis occurs in the host cell nucleus; maturation takes place in the
Lyssavirus (rabies and rabieslike viruses) host cell cytoplasm. Viruses are released through budding from the
host cell’s plasma membrane. These viruses can reassort genes dur­
Ephermerovirus (bovine ephemeral fever virus) ing mixed infections.
Enveloped, helical, negative-sense, ssRNA. Synthesis occurs in
the host cell nucleus; maturation occurs via budding from the 10. Family: Bunyaviridae
host cell plasma membrane. Many replicate in arthropods.

7. Family: Filoviridae

Genera:
Genera: Bunyavirus (Bunyamwera supergroup)
Marburgvirus (Marburg; 23–88% lethal to humans) Phlebovirus (sandfly fever viruses)
Ebolavirus (Ebola; 50–90% lethal to humans) Nairovirus (Nairobi sheep diseaselike viruses)
Enveloped; long, filamentous forms, sometimes with branching, Uukuvirus (Uukuniemi-like viruses)
and sometimes U-shaped, 6-shaped, or circular; negative-sense,
ssRNA. Synthesis occurs in the host cell cytoplasm; maturation Hantavirus (hemorrhagic fever viruses, Korean hemorrhagic
involves budding from the host cell plasma membrane. Viruses fever, Sin Nombre hantavirus)
are released via cell lysis. These viruses are ‘‘Biosafety Level 4’’ Enveloped, spherical, negative-sense, ssRNA (three segments;
pathogens—they must be handled in the laboratory under max­ Phlebovirus ambisense ssRNA). Synthesis occurs in the host cell
imum containment conditions. cytoplasm; maturation occurs within the Golgi apparatus. Virus­
es are released via cell lysis. Closely related viruses can reassort
8. Family: Paramyxoviridae genes during mixed infections.

11. Family: Arenaviridae

Genera:
Paramyxovirus (parainfluenza viruses 1–4, mumps virus,
Newcastle disease virus) Genus:
Arenavirus (Lassa fever virus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis
Morbillivirus (measles and measleslike viruses, canine dis­
virus, Machupo virus, Junin virus)
temper virus)
Enveloped, helical, ambisense, ssRNA (two segments). Syn­
Pneumovirus (respiratory syncytial virus)
thesis occurs in the host cell cytoplasm; maturation involves
Enveloped, helical, negative-sense, ssRNA. Synthesis occurs in the budding from the host cell plasma membrane. Virions contain
host cell cytoplasm; maturation involves budding through the host ribosomes. The human pathogens Lassa, Machupo, and Junin
cell plasma membrane. Viruses are released via cell ly­sis. Morbil­ viruses are ‘‘Biosafety Level 4’’ pathogens—they must be han­
liviruses can cause persistent infections. dled in the laboratory under maximum containment conditions.

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 Classification of viruses   A-5

12. Family: Reoviridae involves budding through the host cell plasma membrane. These
viruses contain the enzyme reverse transcriptase. The retrovi­
ruses (except the Spumavirus and Lentivirus genera) re­present
the RNA tumor viruses, causing leukemias, carcinomas, and
sarcomas.

15. Family: Hepadnaviridae

Genera:
Orthoreovirus (reoviruses 1, 2, and 3)
Orbivirus (Orungo virus)
Rotavirus (human rotaviruses)
Genera:
Cypovirus (cytoplasmic polyhidrosis viruses)
Orthohepadnavirus (hepatitis B virus)
Coltivirus (Colorado tick fever virus)
Avihepadnavirus (duck hepatitis virus)
Plant reovirus 1/3 (plant reoviruses subgroups 1, 2, and 3)
Enveloped, polyhedral, partially dsDNA. Synthesis and mat­
Each genus differs in morphology and physiochemical details. uration take place in the host cell nucleus. Surface antigen pro­
In general, virions are naked, polyhedral, dsRNA (10–12 seg­ duction occurs in the cytoplasm. Persistence is common and is
ments). Synthesis and maturation take place in the host cell cy­ associated with chronic disease and neoplasia.
toplasm. Viruses are released via cell lysis. Virions contain ribo­
somes. 16. Family: Parvoviridae

13. Family: Birnaviridae

Genera:
Parvovirus (feline leukopenia virus, canine parvovirus)
Genus: Dependovirus (adeno-associated viruses)
Birnavirus (infectious pancreatic necrosis virus of fish and Densovirus (insect parvoviruses)
infectious bursal disease virus of fowl)
Erythrovirus (human erythrovirus B19)
Naked, polyhedral, dsRNA (two segments). Synthesis and ma­
turation take place in the host cell cytoplasm. Viruses are re­ Naked, polyhedral, negative-sense, ssDNA (Parvovirus) or
leased via cell lysis. positive-sense and negative-sense, ssDNA (other genera). Syn­
thesis and maturation occur in rapidly dividing host cells, specifi­
14. Family: Retroviridae cally in the host cell nucleus. Viruses are released via cell lysis.

17. Family: Papovaviridae

Genera:
MLV-related virus (spleen necrosis virus, mouse and feline Genera:
­leukemia viruses) Papillomavirus (wart viruses, genital condylomas, DNA tu­
mor viruses)
Betaretrovirus (mouse mammary tumor virus) Type D (squirrel
monkey retrovirus) Polyomavirus (human polyoma-like viruses, SV-40)
Alpharetrovirus (avian leukemia virus, Rous sarcoma Naked, polyhedral, dsDNA. Synthesis and maturation take
virus) HTLV-BLV group (human T cell leukemia virus place in the host cell nucleus. Viruses are released via cell lysis.
HTLV-I, HTLV-II, bovine leukemia virus)
18. Family: Adenoviridae
Spumavirus (the foamy viruses)
Lentivirus (human, feline, simian, and bovine immunodefi­
ciency viruses)
Enveloped, spherical, negative-sense, ssRNA (two identical
strands). Synthesis occurs in the host cell cytoplasm; maturation

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 6    appendix B  Classification of Viruses

Genera: Subfamily:
Mastadenovirus (human adenoviruses A–F, infectious canine Chordopoxvirinae
hepatitis virus)
Aviadenovirus (avian adenoviruses) Genera:
Naked, polyhedral, dsDNA. Synthesis and maturation take Orthopoxvirus (vaccinia and variola viruses, cowpox virus)
place in the host cell nucleus. Viruses are released via cell lysis.
Parapoxvirus (orf virus, pseudocowpox virus)
Avipoxvirus (fowlpox virus)
19. Family: Herpesviridae
Capripoxvirus (sheep pox virus)
Leporipoxvirus (myxoma virus)
Suipoxvirus (swinepox virus)
Yatapoxvirus (yatapox virus and tanapox virus)
Subfamily: Molluscipoxvirus (molluscum contagiosum virus)
Alphaherpesvirinae

Subfamily:
Genera:
Entomopoxvirinae
Simplexvirus (herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2)
Varicellovirus (varicella-zoster virus)
Genus:
Entomopoxvirus A/B/C (poxviruses of insects)
Subfamily:
Betaherpesvirinae External envelope, large, brick-shaped (or ovoid), dsDNA. Syn­
thesis and maturation take place in the portion of the host cell
cytoplasm called viroplasm (‘‘viral factories’’). Viruses are re­
Genera: leased via cell lysis.
Cytomegalovirus (human cytomegalovirus)
Muromegalovirus (murine cytomegalovirus)
21. Family: Iridoviridae

Subfamily:
Gammaherpesvirinae

Genera
Lymphocryptovirus (Epstein-Barr viruses) Genera:
Rhadinovirus (saimiri-ateles-like viruses) Iridovirus (small iridescent insect viruses)

Enveloped, polyhedral, dsDNA. Synthesis and maturation oc­ Chloriridovirus (large iridescent insect viruses)
cur in the host cell nucleus, with budding through the nuclear
Ranavirus (frog viruses)
envelope. Although most herpesviruses cause persistent infec­
tions, virions can be released by rupture of the host cell plasma Lymphocystivirus (lymphocystis viruses of fish)
membrane.
Enveloped (missing on some insect viruses), polyhedral, ds­
DNA. Synthesis occurs in both the host cell nucleus and cyto­
20. Family: Poxviridae plasm. Most virions remain cell-associated.

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