Virology

State Public Health Laboratory

The State Public Health Laboratory works to identify viral diseases that are of public health signifigance to the population of Missouri. The State Public Health Laboratory Virology Lab performs laboratory tests to aid in the diagnosis of infectious diseases, provides reference testing, and participates in surveillance testing programs for viral diseases of public health interest. 

The Virology Laboratory:

• Performs rabies testing on animals suspected of being infected with rabies virus
• Performs testing to determine infection with West Nile and related arboviruses
• Performs Norovirus PCR testing to assist foodborne outbreak investigation
• Identifies viral pathogens by tissue culture and related methods
• Provides surveillance data for Influenza and other viral diseases
• Performs Hepatitis B screening to prevent perinatal Hepatitis B infections
• Performs rapid Hepatitis A testing in outbreak situations
• Provides real-time PCR procedures and rule-out testing for agents of bioterrorism

Virology is the scientific study of viruses and the diseases caused by them.

Virus (life science), infectious agent found in virtually all life forms, including humans, animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria. Viruses consist of genetic material—either deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA)—surrounded by a protective coating of protein, called a capsid, with or without an outer lipid envelope. Viruses are between 20 and 100 times smaller than bacteria and hence are too small to be seen by light microscopy. Viruses vary in size from the largest poxviruses of about 450 nanometers (about 0.000014 in) in length to the smallest polioviruses of about 30 nanometers (about 0.000001 in). Viruses are not considered free-living, since they cannot reproduce outside of a living cell; they have evolved to transmit their genetic information from one cell to another for the purpose of replication.

Viruses often damage or kill the cells that they infect, causing disease in infected organisms. A few viruses stimulate cells to grow uncontrollably and produce cancers. Although many infectious diseases, such as the common cold, are caused by viruses, there are no cures for these illnesses. The difficulty in developing antiviral therapies stems from the large number of variant viruses that can cause the same disease, as well as the inability of drugs to disable a virus without disabling healthy cells. However, the development of antiviral agents is a major focus of current research, and the study of viruses has led to many discoveries important to human health.¹

References:
1. "Virus (life science)," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2003
    http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.