What is latency in virology?
Viral latency is the ability of a virus to remain dormant within the host cell, sometimes establishing lifelong occult infection. Depending on the virus, the trigger of latency is highly variable but the host cell context is always determining.
What does it mean when a virus is latent?
When a virus is present in the body but exists in a resting (latent) state without producing more virus. A latent viral infection usually does not cause any noticeable symptoms and can last a long period of time before becoming active and causing symptoms.
What is latent period of a disease?
Latent Period: The period between exposure and the onset of the period of communicability, which may be shorter or longer than incubation period. Susceptibility: The state of being susceptible (easily affected / infected).
What is a latent pathogen?
Virus latency (or viral latency) is the ability of a pathogenic virus to lie dormant (latent) within a cell, denoted as the lysogenic part of the viral life cycle. A latent viral infection is a type of persistent viral infection which is distinguished from a chronic viral infection.
What is an example of a latent infection?
Latent viral infections in humans include herpes simplex, varicella zoster, Epstein-Barr, human cytomegalovirus, adenovirus, and Kaposi’s sarcoma.
How does a latent virus become active?
Reactivation is the process by which a latent virus switches to a lytic phase of replication. Reactivation may be provoked by a combination of external and/or internal cellular stimuli. Understanding this mechanism is essential in developing future therapeutic agents against viral infection and subsequent disease.
Which viruses are latent?
Can all viruses be latent?
Not all viruses establish latency upon infection. Viruses belonging to the Herpesviridae, Polyomaviridae, Parvoviridae and Adenoviridae families commonly seem to establish latent infections in target cells. Reactivation is a process by which virus latency is terminated, leading to a lytic phase of replication.
Why is latent period important?
The latent period is a crucial life history trait, particularly for polycyclic plant diseases, because it determines how many complete infection cycles could theoretically occur during an epidemic.
What is virus incubation period?
The incubation period is the number of days between when you’re infected with something and when you might see symptoms. Health care professionals and government officials use this number to decide how long people need to stay away from others during an outbreak.
What viruses are latent?
What is the difference between incubation and latency?
Depending on the disease, the person may or may not be contagious during the incubation period. During latency, an infection is subclinical. With respect to viral infections, in incubation the virus is replicating. This is in contrast to viral latency, a form of dormancy in which the virus does not replicate.
What is the meaning of the medical term latent?
Medical Definition of latent : existing in hidden or dormant form: as a : present or capable of living or developing in a host without producing visible symptoms of disease a latent virus a latent infection b : not consciously expressed latent anxiety
What is the meaning of latent fingerprint?
Definition of latent (Entry 2 of 2) : a fingerprint (as at the scene of a crime) that is scarcely visible but can be developed for study. — called also latent fingerprint, latent print.
Where can I find more information about viruses in virology?
Students should listen to the weekly podcast “This Week in Virology”, produced by Prof. Racaniello, for additional material about viruses relevant to the course. Lecture slides (pdf) will be posted at this website before each class.
What is the best book to study virology?
Vol I: Molecular Biology, Vol. II: Pathogenesis and Control (S.J. Flint et al., Fifth Edition, ASM Press 2020). Students should read Prof. Racaniello’s virology blog for information relevant to the course.