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Introduction to the Universal System of Virus Taxonomy

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Virus Taxonomy

Part of the book series: Archives of Virology Supplement 10 ((ARCHIVES SUPPL,volume 10))

Abstract

The earliest experiments involving viruses were designed to separate them from microbes that could be seen in the light microscope and that usually could be cultivated on rather simple media. In the experiments that led to the first discoveries of viruses, by Beijerinck and Ivanovski (tobacco mosaic virus), Loeffler and Frosch (foot-and-mouth disease virus), and Reed and Carroll (yellow fever virus) at the turn of the century, one single physicochemical characteristic was measured, that being their small size as assessed by filterability (Waterson and Wilkinson, 1978). No other physicochemical measurements were made at that time, and most studies of viruses centered on their ability to cause infections and diseases. The earliest efforts to classify viruses, therefore, were based upon perceived common pathogenic properties, common organ tropisms, and common ecological and transmission characteristics. For example, viruses that share the pathogenic property of causing hepatitis (e.g., hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, yellow fever virus, and Rift Valley fever virus) would have been brought together as “the hepatitis viruses,” and plant viruses causing mosaics (e.g., cauliflower mosaic virus, ryegrass mosaic virus, brome mosaic virus, alfalfa mosaic virus, and tobacco mosaic virus) would have been brought together as “the mosaic viruses.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Veterinary Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Dr. Frederick A. Murphy

  2. Division of Plant Biology-MRC7, ORSTOM/The Scripps Research Institute, 10666 North Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA

    Dr. Claude M. Fauquet

  3. Natural Environment Research School, Institute of Virology, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SR, UK

    Dr. David H. L. Bishop

  4. Dept. of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, S-305 Ag.Sc.Bl. N, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA

    Dr. Said A. Ghabrial

  5. New Zealand Dairy Research Institute, Private Bag, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Dr. Audrey W. Jarvis

  6. Instituto di Patologia Vegetale, Via Giovanni Amendola 165A, 70126, Bari, Italy

    Dr. Giovanni P. Martelli

  7. Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, UK

    Dr. Mike A. Mayo

  8. Dept. of Entomology, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2475, USA

    Dr. Max D. Summers

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  1. Dr. Frederick A. Murphy
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Veterinary Science, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Frederick A. Murphy

  2. Division of Plant Biology-MRC7, ORSTOM/The Scripps Research Institute, 10666 North Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA

    Claude M. Fauquet

  3. Natural Environment Research School, Institute of Virology, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SR, UK

    David H. L. Bishop

  4. Dept. of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, S-305 Ag.Sc.Bl. N, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA

    Said A. Ghabrial

  5. New Zealand Dairy Research Institute, Private Bag, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Audrey W. Jarvis

  6. Instituto di Patologia Vegetale, Via Giovanni Amendola 165A, 70126, Bari, Italy

    Giovanni P. Martelli

  7. Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA, UK

    Mike A. Mayo

  8. Dept. of Entomology, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, 77843-2475, USA

    Max D. Summers

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Murphy, F.A. et al. (1995). Introduction to the Universal System of Virus Taxonomy. In: Murphy, F.A., et al. Virus Taxonomy. Archives of Virology Supplement 10, vol 10. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6607-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6607-9_1

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