Poliovirus

Poliovirus is a member of the family Picornaviridae and the genus Enterovirus. It is an RNA virus that causes poliomyelitis, a disease that can lead to paralysis.

Structure

Poliovirus is a non-enveloped virus with an icosahedral symmetry. Its capsid is composed of 60 copies each of four different viral proteins. The genome of the poliovirus is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA molecule approximately 7500 nucleotides long.

Life Cycle

The life cycle of the poliovirus begins when it attaches to a receptor on the surface of a host cell. The virus then enters the cell and uncoats its RNA genome. The RNA is translated into a polyprotein, which is then cleaved into individual viral proteins. These proteins and the viral RNA assemble into new virus particles, which are released from the cell to infect other cells.

Pathogenesis

Poliovirus primarily infects the gastrointestinal tract, but it can also spread to the central nervous system and cause paralysis. The virus is transmitted through the fecal-oral route, and it can survive in the environment for several weeks.

Prevention and Treatment

There is no cure for poliomyelitis, but it can be prevented with the polio vaccine. There are two types of polio vaccines: the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and the oral polio vaccine (OPV). Both vaccines stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against the poliovirus.

See Also

• Poliomyelitis
• Picornaviridae
• Enterovirus
• RNA virus
• Polio vaccine

References

Poliovirus Resources
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