NAMING OF VIRUSES
A virus is a tiny, invisible thing that’s somewhere between alive and not alive. It’s so small you can’t see it without a microscope. Viruses can get inside living cells and make them do things, like copying themselves. Sometimes, they make us sick, but they also have a role in nature. Even though they’re small, they have a big effect on how life works.
Let’s explore the stories behind the naming of different viruses.
DIFFERENT FAMILY NAMES OF VIRUS
Retroviridae
Retrovirus derives its name from ‘retro’ meaning backward. This type of virus utilizes a reverse transcription process, where DNA is transcribed from RNA instead of the usual DNA to RNA transcription. This reverse process is the reason behind its name. HIV is an example of a retrovirus.
Orthomyxoviridae
The term ‘ortho’ means straight, and ‘myxo’ refers to a mucus or slime-like substance. There is a class named Myxini within the subphylum Vertebrata, known as Myxini because it produces slime.
The word “orthogonal” refers to an angle of 90 degrees, which is straight up.
‘Ortho’ is used to denote the straight arrangement of their genome.
The genome of Orthoreoviruses is divided into multiple segments of RNA, with each segment containing a portion of the virus’s genetic information. Unlike other viruses whose genomes might be circular or have more complex structures, the segments of the Orthoreovirus genome are linear or straight. Each segment is distinct and separate from the others.
They often infect mucosal tissue or mucus-producing tissue in the respiratory tract, hence ‘myxo’.
Paramyxoviridae
‘Para’ means beside or near, and ‘myxo’ again refers to mucus. This virus is similar to orthomyxovirus but distinct. The term ‘para’ is used to indicate its distinctness from orthomyxovirus. The primary difference between orthomyxo and paramyxo viruses is that the genetic material of orthomyxovirus is segmented, whereas in paramyxo viruses, it is not segmented.
Reoviridae
The term “Reovirus” stands for “Respiratory Enteric Orphan virus.” Reoviruses were first found in the respiratory and enteric tracts (intestines) and were initially considered orphan viruses, a term used to describe viruses that were discovered but not associated with any known diseases. One virus of the Reoviridae family is the rotavirus.
Adenoviridae
These were first identified in adenoid tissue, which is part of the throat responsible for immune system function and prevention of respiratory infections. Adenoviruses commonly infect the respiratory tract, causing conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and the common cold.
Poxviridae
This name indicates the red swellings on the body caused by the virus, known as pocking, which means to disturb or irritate someone.
Herpesviridae
Derived from “serpent,” a limbless reptile that crawls, cognate with “herpent,” meaning creeping. This name describes how the lesions or rashes spread by these viruses creep across the skin.
Flaviviridae
“Flavi” comes from the Latin word for yellow. These viruses cause yellow fever, named for one of its symptoms, jaundice, where the eyes and skin turn yellow. The root of “flavi” indicates shining or glowing and was broadened to indicate something pleasant like yellow sunlight. Over time, “flavor” came to refer to taste or characteristic quality. Flavoprotein is a protein containing a yellow-colored flavin molecule as a prosthetic group, which is a non-protein molecule bound to a protein.
Coronaviridae
Derived from the Latin word for crown, describing the crown-like spikes on the virus’s surface. Coronary arteries are named similarly because they encircle the heart in a crown-like fashion.
Rhabdoviridae
“Rhabdo” means rod-shaped, referring to the rod or bullet shape of this virus.
Arenaviridae
“Arena” means sandy, named for the sandy appearance of virus particles under an electron microscope.
Parvoviridae
“Parvo” means small; viruses in this family are among the smallest.
Picornaviridae
“Pico” also means small; related to “peak,” it signifies the top of something. In measurements, pico equals 10^-12 meters.
NAME OF DIFFERENT VIRUS
Previously we have talked about the families of viruses and their naming stories.Now we will talk about individual viruses and how they were named.
Poliovirus
The word “polio” means grey. The virus attacks the greyish matter in the spinal cord. We know that the spinal cord’s main job is to supply signals from the brain to the rest of the body. When the virus attacks the spinal cord, it leads to muscle weakness or paralysis. The disease is called “Poliomyelitis” (polio = grey + myel = spinal cord + itis = generic word for inflammation).
Rhinovirus
Greek for “nose,” as it primarily causes the common cold. Rhinoceros is called that because it has one or two horns in place of its nose.
Influenza
The naming of “influenza” is related to the concept of “influence” in a historical context. In Italian, “influenza” originally referred to the influence of the stars or celestial bodies. People believed that the alignment of the stars had an effect on health, causing certain illnesses.
When a particular illness caused by a viral infection became widespread and severe, it was thought to be influenced by the stars. This disease was called “influenza di stelle,” which means “influence of the stars” in Italian. Over time, the term was shortened to just “influenza” to refer specifically to the contagious respiratory illness we know today.
So, “influenza” literally means “influence,” reflecting the old belief that the illness was caused by an astrological influence.
Ebola Virus
Named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), near where it was first discovered.
Rotavirus
Latin for “wheel,” referring to the wheel-like appearance of the virus. Family: Reoviridae.
Zika Virus
Named after the Zika Forest in Uganda, where it was first isolated in 1947.
Mumps Virus
The word “mumps” comes from an old English term meaning “to mumble” due to the swelling it causes in the salivary glands.
Rabies Virus
“Rabies” means madness, fury, rage, from the same origin. Named for the frantic behavior often seen in affected animals and humans. The rabies virus primarily targets the central nervous system (CNS), which includes the brain and spinal cord. Thus, the madness is related.
Rubella Virus
“Rubella” is from Latin, meaning “little red.” Named due to the mild red rash it causes.