Name four viral diseases and identify and briefly describe six common viruses

Answer 1

The common cold, the flu, herpes, hepatitis, and AIDS are viral diseases.
The most common viruses are:
• Rhinoviruses and adenoviruses, which get into the mucous membranes and cause upper respiratory tract infections and colds.
• Coronaviruses, named for their corona, or halo-like appearance, are second only to rhinoviruses in causing the common cold and other respiratory infections. A coronavirus is the cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
• Influenza viruses, which can change their outer protein coats so dramatically that individuals resistant to one strain cannot fight off a new one.
• Herpes viruses, which take up permanent residence in the cells and periodically flare up.
• Papillomaviruses, which cause few symptoms in women and almost none in men but may be responsible, at least in part, for a rise in the incidence of cervical cancer among younger women.
• Hepatitis viruses, which cause several forms of liver infection, ranging from mild to life-threatening.
• Slow viruses, which give no early indication of their presence but can produce fatal illnesses within a few years.
• Retroviruses, which are named for their backward (retro) sequence of genetic replication compared to other viruses. One retrovirus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
• Filoviruses, which resemble threads and are extremely lethal.