RNA VIRUSES

FAMILY Arenaviridae
Common Name Arenavirus
Virus Lymphocytic choriomentgis(LCM) Virus
Lassa fever virus, Machupo virus, Junin
Virus, Sabia Virus
Characteristics Helical, 100-130
Transmission person-to-person and nosocomial
(healthcare setting) transmission. This
occurs when a person infected by
exposure to the virus from the rodent host
spreads the virus to other humans.
Disease Infections
Diagnosis s made using antigen and/or antibody
measurements, virus isolation, and/or
genomic detection by reverse
transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
(RT-PCR)
Treatment antiviral drug ribavirin
Prevention single live attenuated vaccine (Candid 1)
for the prevention of JUNV infection. ...
Passive antibody therapy has been
effective in reducing mortality associated
with Argentine hemorrhagic fever caused
by infection with JUNV
2

FAMILY Bunyaviradae
Common Name Bunyavirus, Phlebovirus, Nairovirus,
Hantavirus,
Virus La crosse virus and California encephalitis,
viruses, Rift Valley fever virus, Crimean-
Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Hantaan
virus.
Characteristics Helican,80-110 spherical and pleomorphic
Transmission Mosquitoes, The virus is transmitted by
tick, but human-to-human transmission of
the virus is very characteristic.
Disease Bunyaviruses cause several diseases of
human and domestic animals, including
fever, hemorrhagic fever, renal failure,
encephalitis, meningitis, blindness, and, in
 domestic animals, congenital defects.
Diagnosis Virus isolation and serologic tests for
antibody (IgM antibody capture ELISA,
neutralization)
Treatment Patients in the viremic phase of illness
should be protected from arthropod bites
by the use of pesticides, bed nets, and
screening.
Prevention Agricultural workers and others working
with animals should use insect repellent on
exposed skin and clothing.
3

FAMILY Caliciviridae
Common Name Calicivirus
Virus Norwalk Virus, Sapporo Virus
Characteristics Icosahedral, 25-35
Transmission fecal-oral
Disease Calicivirus infections (Norovirus and
Sapovirus) cause gastroenteritis.
Common signs/ symptoms are nausea,
vomiting and diarrhea lasting for only a few
days
Diagnosis immunochromatographic tests
Treatment Normally infections do not require medical
attention. Severe illness is rare but may
occur in immunocompromised individuals.
Rehydration therapy may be used in these
instances.

Prevention Hand washing is an effective preventative

measure. Sanitizing surfaces is also
recommended in preventing the spread of
infection
4

FAMILY Coronaviridae
Common Name Coronavirus
Virus Coronavirus Strains
Characteristics Helical, 80-200 spherical and pleomorphic
Transmission faecal-oral route or by aerosols of
respiratory secretions.
Disease infection of the respiratory tract known as
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS).
Diagnosis laboratory tests on respiratory specimens
 and serum (part of your blood) to detect
human coronavirus. This is especially
likely if you have severe disease or are
suspected of having MERS
Treatment coronavirus infection the same way you
treat a cold: Get plenty of rest. Drink fluids.
Take over-the-counter medicine for sore
throat and fever (but don't give aspirin to
children or teens younger than 19; use
ibuprofen or acetaminophen instead).
Prevention To help prevent coronavirus infection, do
the same things you do to avoid the
common cold: Wash your hands
thoroughly with soap and warm water or
with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
5

FAMILY Filoviridae
Common Name Filovirus
Virus Marburg Virus, Dengue Fever Virus
9Hemorrhagic Fevers)
Characteristics Helical, 80X800 Filamentous and
Pleomorphic
Transmission airborne transmission,
Disease Fever, headache, and joint and muscle
weakness, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach
pain.
Diagnosis Diagnosis is with enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay, PCR, or electron
microscopy.
Treatment Diagnosis is with enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay, PCR, or electron
microscopy.
Prevention application of viral hemorrhagic fever
isolation precautions is currently the center
piece of Filovirus control.
6

FAMILY Flaviviradae
Common Name Flavivirus, Hepacivirus
Virus Yellow Fever Virus, Dengue Fever Virus,
St. Louis encephalitis virus, Japanese
encephalitis, West Nile virus, hepatitis C
virus, Hepatitis G virus
Characteristics Icosahedral, 40-50
 Transmission TRANSMISSION.
Many flaviviruses are transmitted via
arthropod vectors to humans. ... Except in
the case of dengue and yellow fever,
humans are not involved in the
primary transmission cycles. Humans only
get involved when they come into close
contact with infected arthropods or drink
milk from infected animals.
Disease Dengue fever, Hepatitis C Virus Infection,
Japanese encephalitis, Kyasanur Forest
disease, Murray Valley encephalitis, St.
Louis encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis,
Tick-borne encephalitis

Diagnosis Serology is presently the most frequently

used means of diagnosing
flavivirus infections
Treatment no vaccine or effective antiviral treatment
exists for the prevention or treatment of
infections with DENV. Supportive care and
symptomatic treatment through hydration
or aggressive fluid management, if
hypotention develops during the course of
DHV, are the most important aids to
improve survival.
Prevention requiring vaccination (within 10 years) of
all individuals travelling into or out
of flavivirus endemic region
7

FAMILY Orthomyxoviridae
Common Name Orthomyxovirus
Virus Influenza Viruses A, B, and C
Characteristics Helical, 80-120 pleomorphic
Transmission saliva, nasal secretions, feces and blood
Disease H1N1 caused "Spanish Flu" in 1918,
"Swine flu" and H2N2 caused "Asian Flu"
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is suggested by the
symptoms, particularly if an influenza
epidemic is under way. Definitive
diagnosis depends on detecting the virus
or a rise in antibody titer.
 Treatment The drugs amantadine and rimantadine
can be used for prophylaxis and treatment
of influenza A infections.
Prevention Inactivated influenza virus vaccines have
been used for about 40 years to prevent
influenza.
8

FAMILY Paramyxoviridae
Common Name Paramyxovirus, Morbilivirus, Pneumovirus
Virus Paramyxoviruses Mumps Virus, Measles
Virsu, Respiratory syncytal virus (RSV)
Human mentapneumovirus
Characteristics Helical, 50-300 enveloped and
pleomorphic
Transmission inhalation of small aerosol droplets.
Disease measles, mumps, and respiratory tract
infections.
Diagnosis serologically by demonstration of IgM
antibodies in the first serum sample, taken
2 to 3 days after onset of rash.
Treatment The antiviral drug, ribavirin is an option for
the treatment of henipavirus infections.
The use of the MMR (Measles, Mumps,
Rubella) vaccine for childhood
Prevention vaccine for childhood immunizations are
effective in preventing a number of
paramyxovirus infections
9

FAMILY Picornaviridae
Common Name Human enterovirus, Hepatovirus,
Rhinovirus
Virus Poliovirus Coxsackieviruses A and B,
Echoviruses, Hepatitis A (HAV),
Rhinoviruses Type A,B,C
Characteristics Icosahedral, 24-30
Transmission Fecal-oral route
Disease encephalitis, the common cold, febrile
rash illnesses (hand-foot-and-
mouthdisease), conjunctivitis, herpangina,
myositis and myocarditis, and hepatitis.
Diagnosis diagnosed based on liver dysfunction, as
indicated by raised levels of serum
bilirubin and aminotransferases
Treatment No specific antiviral agents for the
 treatment of poliomyelitis are available;
therefore, management is supportive and
symptomatic. Patients in the acute phase
of paralytic poliomyelitis may require
hospitalization
Prevention Poliomyelitis can be prevented by Salk-
type (inactivated) and Sabin-type (live)
attenuated poliovirus vaccines. Hepatitis A
can be prevented by inactivated hepatitis
A vaccine (Havrix). Control can be
achieved via public education on
transmission modes and personal hygiene.
10

FAMILY Reoviridae
Common Name Reovirus, Orbivirus, Rotavirus
Virus Reoviruses, Colorado tick fever
Rotaviruses
Characteristics Icosahedral, 60-80
Transmission Some of them are transmitted through the
orofecal route - that is to say by way of
food, hands, or objects contaminated with
virus-laden feces. Other viruses
are transmitted when animals, including
humans, are bitten by something like a tick
or a mosquito. This is known as
arthropod transmission
Disease Reovirus infection occurs often in humans,
but most cases are mild or subclinical.
Rotavirus, however, can cause severe
diarrhea and intestinal distress in children,
and lab studies in mice have implicated
Orthoreovirus in the expression of
coeliac disease in pre-disposed
individuals.
Diagnosis Diagnosis of CTF in humans has been
established most reliably by isolation of the
virus from the erythrocyte fraction of whole
blood or by demonstrating the presence of
viral antigen in the erythrocytes via the
direct fluorescent-antibody technique
Treatment Treatment of rotavirus gastroenteritis
consists of restoring the fluid loss in
dehydrated patients. Emphasis has shifted
from intravenous to oral rehydration using
glucose electrolyte solutions. ... In cases of
 severe dehydration, intravenous solutions
can be used
Prevention Drinking plenty of liquids (oral rehydration
therapy) can help prevent dehydration.
The best method of preventing rotavirus
infection is vaccination. There are two
different rotavirus vaccines currently
available in the U.S. that are used to
immunize infants.
11

FAMILY Rhabdoviridae
Common Name Lyssavirus
Virus Rabies virus
Characteristics Bullet shaped, 75x180
Transmission The most common transmission of rabies
is via the bite of a rabid animal
Disease rabies
Diagnosis Fluorescent antibody testing
Treatment The standard treatment for infection is post
exposure prohylaxis (P.E.P.) which
includes proper wound washing and
care, virucidal antiseptic, as well as
administering human rabies
immunoglobulin (HRIG) and rabies
vaccine. Preventive measures include
P.E.P. and vaccination in humans.
Prevention Stay away from rabbies positive animals
12

FAMILY Togaviridae
Common Name Alphavirus, Rubvirus
Virus Eastern, Western and Venezuelan
encephalitis viruses, Rubella
Characteristics Icosahedral, 60-70
Transmission blood meal
Disease Western Equine encephalitis(WEE),
Venezuelan Equine encephalitis (VEE),
Chikungunya fever, Rubella
Diagnosis rubella vaccines will protect circulating
strains and rubella antigens used in
serological tests for screening
Treatment childhood immunizations using the MMR
(Measles, Mumps Rubella) vaccine
Prevention childhood immunizations using the MMR
(Measles, Mumps Rubella) vaccine.
 13

FAMILY Retroviridae Subfamilies/ Oncornavirinae,

Lentivirinae
Common Name Oncornavirus, Lentivirus
Virus Human T cell lymphotrophic virus types 1
and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2), Human
immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2
(HIV-1 and HIV-2)
Characteristics Icosahedral, 80-100-
Transmission oral
Disease leukemia
Diagnosis blood tests
Treatment treated with less-toxic antiviral
compounds.
Prevention oncornavirus immunization