Microbiology: Virus: An Obligate Intracellular Parasite

Hello Students,

Myself, Ms. Varsha Tambe.

We all suffered pandemics in 2019. COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. Everything has been impacted. It is just because of a one-minute-sized microorganism, i.e., a virus. An infective agent that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat, is too small to be seen by light microscopy, and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a host. It is obligate intracellular parasite. When infected, the host cell is forced to rapidly produce thousands of identical copies of the original virus. Viruses vary in form and complexity. They consist of genetic material, DNA or RNA, with a coat of protein around it. Some have an additional coat called the envelope. This may be spiky and helps them latch onto and enter host cells. Here you are going to learn basics of viruses.

Dear students, after completing this course, you will be able to

1. Define viruses.

2. Understand the history of Virus

3. Characteristics and Size of viruses.

4. Classification of Viruses

5. Structure and morphology of Virus

6. Effects of physical and chemical agents on viruses

7. Multiplication of viruses

8. Cultivation of Virus

Enjoy Learning!!!