Virology
Objectives
The objective of the virology course is to provide students with basic knowledge of virology, including the biological properties of viruses, virus morphology, tropism, taxonomy, replication strategies of representative DNA and RNA viruses and effects of virus infection on cell growth control and survival. Moreover, it aims to provide students with basic knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of relevant human and animal viral infections. Emphasis is also placed on viral zoonoses and emerging infectious diseases.
General characterization
Code
10659
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Luís Jaime Gomes Ferreira da Silva Mota, Sílvia Carla Santos de Barros
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - 63
Teaching language
Português
Prerequisites
Available soon
Bibliography
1. "Principles of Virology: Molecular Biology, pathogenesis, and control of animal viruses" Flint, S.J. (Editor), et al. (2003)
2. “Desk Encyclopedia of General Virology” Brian W.J. Mahy and Marc van Regenmortel (editors) 2010. Academic Press, Elsevier.
3. Molecular approaches for veterinary diagnosis. Mónica Cunha e João Inácio (2014). LIDEL.
4. Selected scientific papers.
Teaching method
In lectures the successive topics of the syllabus will be explain and discuss. The subject from last lesson will be reviewed at the start of each new lesson.
In practical classes, laboratory work will be performed with the implementation of techniques whose aim is to consolidate the concepts that were learned in the theoretical lectures and prepare students for the day-to-day of a virology lab. At the end of each practical session results will be discussed and conceptualized with the subjects taught in the course. At the end of the semester students will develop a project based on the given methods.
Evaluation method
Theoretical Evaluation: 3 tests (30%, 40% and 30% of final grade/each respectively), or a final exam. To be approved student must have a minimum grade of 9.5, resulting from the sum of the singular evaluations.
Laboratory Evaluation: Students will be evaluated by 2 test (50% each). To be approved student must have a minimum grade of 9.5, resulting from the sum of the singular evaluations.
The final grade was the sum of the theoretical and practical evaluations.
To have access to the final exam it is necesssary to have a positive evaluation (at least 9.5) at the laboratory component.
Subject matter
General features of virus: biological properties, tropism, morphology, replication and taxonomy.
2. Study of virus families, with emphasis on cell tropism, viral genetic, virus replication in the host cells.
3. General characteristics of negative strand RNA viruses: Families Filoviridae, Bunyaviridae Paramyxoviridae, Rhabdoviridae and Orthomyxoviridae.
4. Double-stranded RNA virus (dsRNA): Family Reoviridae.
5. Positive strand RNA viruses: Families Coronaviridae, Picornaviridae, Flaviviridae and Caliciviridae.
6. Family Retroviridae (HIV and Maedi-Visna virus).
7. General characteristics of DNA viruses: Families Parvoviridae, Herpesviridae, Papillomaviridae, Poxviridae.
8. Prophylactic and vaccination strategies. Emerging infections.