What is the origin of the word “virus”?
Derived from the Latin word “Venom,” meaning “Poison.”
What are viruses?
Non-cellular infectious entities containing either RNA or DNA in a protein coat.
Where can viruses reproduce?
Only in living cells.
Why do viruses depend on a host cell?
They lack biosynthetic machinery.
Name three diseases caused by viruses.
Influenza, bird flu, dengue fever, swine flu (any three).
Do viruses follow cell theory?
No.
Who first used vaccination against a viral disease? And when
Edward Jenner in 1796.
What disease was the first vaccination used for?
Smallpox (using cowpox material).
What does the term “vaccination” originate from?
Latin word “vacca” for cow.
What disease is caused by the bite of dogs, foxes, or cats?
Rabies.
Who discovered that rabies-causing agents could pass through porcelain filters? And when
Charles Chamberland in 1884.
What term wasintroduced by Charles chamberland?
Filterable virus.
Term for fliterable infectious agent
Who discovered the filterable agent for tobacco mosaic disease? And when
Iwanosky in 1892.
Who crystallized the Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)?
W.M. Stanley in 1935.
What is the study of viruses called?
Virology.
What is a-cellular life?
Life forms that exist without a cellular structure, e.g., viruses and viroids.
What are viroids?
The smallest infectious agents consisting of circular single-stranded RNA without a protein coat.
Why are viruses considered non-living?
They are not capable of autopoiesis (reproduction) without a host.
Do viruses excrete?
No.
What was the significance of Edward Jenner’s experiment in 1796?
He vaccinated an eight-year-old boy with cowpox lesion material, and after six weeks, the boy did not contract smallpox when inoculated with pus from a smallpox victim.
What material did Edward Jenner use for the first vaccination?
Pus from a cowpox lesion.
How long after the cowpox inoculation did Jenner challenge the boy with smallpox?
Six weeks.
What was the result of Jenner’s smallpox challenge?
The boy did not get the disease.
What Latin word is “vaccination” derived from and what does it mean?
“Vacca,” meaning cow.
