The following points highlight the three main viral agents that cause various diseases. The viral agents are: 1. Viroids 2. Virusoids 3. Prions. Viral Agent # 1. Viroids: Viroids differ from viruses in having no coat enclosing the nucleic acid which in these agents is a small single stranded circular RNA. The naked RNA can infect many plants causing at [...]
In this article we will discuss about:- 1. Meaning of Interferons 2. Characteristics of Interferons 3. Production 4. Mechanism of Action 5. Applications. Meaning of Interferons: Interferons are natural glycoproteins produced by virus-infected eukaryotic cells which protect host cells from virus infection. They were discovered by Isaacs and Lindenmann in 1957 in course of a study of the effect of [...]
In this article we will discuss about the strategies and types of antiviral drugs. Strategies of Antiviral Drugs: Antibiotics which have revolutionized the control of diseases caused by bacteria and some other pathogenic agents are totally ineffective against viruses, because the viruses do not have a cell and they are heavily dependent on the host cell for multiplication. Therefore, the [...]