Other viruses

This chapter discusses the characteristics of other viruses. The reovirus family is composed of three groups—reovirus, orbivirus, and rotavirus—and can cause infections in both man and animals. Other reoviruses are pathogenic to insects and plants. The orbivirus group consists of a large number of members, some of which are transmitted by vectors and, therefore, belong to the heterogenic arboviruses. Of the orbiviruses, the Colorado tick fever virus is the only one known to cause disease in man. As indicated by its name, the vector is a tick and the virus produces a febrile illness with myalgia. Arboviruses, that is, viruses borne by arthropod vectors and multiplying both in the arthropod and in the animal on which the arthropod is parasitic, show markedly variable morphological and biochemical characteristics. Coronavirus-like particles have been observed in fecal specimens of patients with gastroenteritis symptoms in India, Australia, Gambia, West Germany, and other countries.