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Caliciviruses: an overview.
1Institut für Virologie, Fachbereich Veterinärmedizin, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Germany. heinz-juergen.thiel@vetmed.uni-giessen.de
Veterinary Microbiology
|October 9, 1999
Summary
This review details caliciviruses, focusing on molecular aspects of viruses like rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). It highlights unique properties compared to other RNA viruses, particularly for RHDV research challenges.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Caliciviruses cause significant diseases in both animals and humans.
- Notable examples include vesicular exanthema virus of swine (VESV), feline calicivirus, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), and Norwalk/Sapporo-like viruses responsible for human gastroenteritis.
- Understanding calicivirus molecular biology is crucial for disease control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of caliciviruses.
- To emphasize the molecular aspects of caliciviruses.
- To focus on rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) due to research challenges.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of calicivirus research.
- Comparative analysis of calicivirus properties with other positive-stranded RNA viruses.
- Focus on studies involving RHDV.
Main Results:
- Caliciviruses exhibit unique molecular properties distinct from related RNA virus families.
- Research on caliciviruses, especially RHDV, is hampered by difficulties in propagation.
- RHDV propagation is limited to animal models or primary rabbit hepatocyte cultures.
Conclusions:
- Caliciviruses represent a significant group of pathogens with unique molecular characteristics.
- The challenges in propagating RHDV necessitate specific research approaches.
- Further molecular studies on RHDV are essential for understanding and combating calicivirus infections.