Host range, host specificity and hypothesized host shift events among viruses of lower vertebrates
Isabel Bandín1, Carlos P Dopazo
1Unidad de Ictiopatología-Patología Viral, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Instituto de Acuicultura, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain. carlos.pereira@usc.es.
Abstract:
The successful replication of a viral agent in a host is a complex process that often leads to a species specificity of the virus and can make interspecies transmission difficult. Despite this difficulty, natural host switch seems to have been frequent among viruses of lower vertebrates, especially fish viruses, since there are several viruses known to be able to infect a wide range of species. In the present review we will focus on well documented reports of broad host range, variations in host specificity, and host shift events hypothesized for viruses within the genera Ranavirus, Novirhabdovirus, Betanodavirus, Isavirus, and some herpesvirus.
Related Concept Videos
Viral Recombination
Viruses of Archaea
Viral Mutations
Human Virome
Retroviruses
Bacteriophages of the Human Virome


