Characteristics of Viruses

• Helical - capsomeres are bonded together in a spiral shape.
• Polyhedral - capsomeres form an essentially spherical shape comprised of small, flattened plates.
• Complex - any other different shape that is not polyhedral or helical.
• Sphere - Circular enveloped: internal nucleocapsid is surrounded by a membranous envelope.
• cells affected by the virus show inclusion bodies they are aggregation or unassembled virus units as reaction products of the host due to the presence of the virus.

  where can be found:

  1. cytoplasm
  2. nucleus
• capable of mutation - irreversible, spontaneous change usually under normal conditions.
• Reproduction - viruses do not have independent metabolism and growth but dependent on the activity of the cells they inhabit.