Virus Classification

Since their initial discovery of viruses in 1898, about 5,000 viruses have been described in detail, although there are millions of different types.

These non-cellular human pests typically contain one of two types of genomes, made up of either short strands of DNA or RNA. Shortly after a virus enters a cell, it is usually the synthetic machinery of the host cell that allows the virus to create specialized elements called capsid that allow their genome to transferred to other cells efficiently.

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Viruses » Pathogen Profile Dictionary

Source: Pathogen Profile Dictionary