Viruses are classified on the basis of:

Classification Suffix

Example

Notes

Morphology
Size, capsid structure (icosahedral symmetry, helical symmetry, complex symmetry) and appearance in the electron microscope, presence of envelope, other structural features (presence of cellular structures or unusual viral structures, e.g. ribosomes in Arenaviridae, tegument in Herpesviridae).

Order Family Subfamily Genus Species

-virales Mononegavira/es Onlyone order definedto date. -viridae Paramyxoviridae Alwaysdefined. -virinae Pneumovirinae Not always defined. -virus Pneumovirus Alwaysdefined. None Respiratory Alwaysdefined. syncytialvirus

Genome
Type of nucleic acid (RNA or DNA), number of strands (single or double) and relationship to messenger RNA if single stranded (termed 'positive sense' if of the same base sequence as mRNA, 'negative sense' if of complementary sequence) or segments present, sequence homology and similarities of genetic organization to other viruses. The size of individual virus families varies enormously, for example: Filoviridae: Two members, Marburg and Ebola viruses Picornaviridae: Over two hundred members, including poliovirus, rhinoviruses (common cold), hepatitis A virus. As an example of the processes involved in virus classification: Human herpes virus 6 was assigned to the family Herpesviridae on the basis of its morphology (enveloped, with a 100-110 nm icosahedral nucleocapsid and visible tegument between the nucleocapsid and the envelope) and the presence of a large doublestranded DNA genome, and noted to be related to Epstein-Barr virus (human herpes virus 5, subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae) on the basis of its behaviour in cell culture, has since been reclassified as closer to cytomegaIovirus (human herpes virus 4, subfamily Betaherpesvirinae) on the basis of its genomic structure and sequence. While the nature of the disease caused by a virus has little effect on its placement in taxonomy, it may influence the name used for the virus itself. For example: The human hepatitis Copyright 9 1996 Academic Press Ltd All rights of reproduction in any form reserved

Physical and biochemical properties

Buoyant density (in cesium chloride) and sedimentation constant, pH stability, number and size of proteins present, presence of lipid (usually as an envelope).

Serology
Presence of antigens cross-reactive with other viruses.

Pathology
Nature of involved. disease caused, mechanisms

A novel virus will be assigned to a family (ending -viridae) and genus (ending -virus), and possibly to other taxonomical subdivisions, on the basis of these properties. The heirarchy of classification is: Virology Methods Manual ISBN 0-12-465330-8

Virology methods manual viruses A to E are only very distantly related, and belong to four different virus families (A, body in these matters, and even this may change when new evidence becomes available. For the current classification of most known viruses, readers are directed to the latest report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, whose details are as follows: Virus Taxonomy. Sixth report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses ed. FA Murphy, CM Fauquet, DHL Bishop, SA Ghabriel, AW Jarvis, GP Martelli, MA Mayo, MD Summers. Archives of Virology, Supp. 10, Vienna: Springer Verlag, 1995.

Picornaviridae; B, Hepadnaviridae; C, Flaviviridae; E, Caliciviridae), while Hepatitis D 'virus'

is a sub-viral infectious agent related to the viroids of plants. Despite this, they have very similar names, based on their role in hepatitis. A virus is usually named, often from the disease caused, before it is assigned a place in the taxonomical structure, and it may take a great deal of time before a final classification is agreed by the International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), the responsible

366

Appendix C