Viral Pathogenesis

Viral pathogenesis describes the processes by which viral infections cause diseases and involves virus–host interactions at the cellular and systemic level that determine whether a virus will cause a disease, what form that disease takes, and how severe the disease will be. Though the pathogenesis of each virus is unique, there are several common points in the virus life cycle that are shared between all pathogenic viruses, and by considering these common aspects of the virus-induced disease process, we can explore some general concepts in viral pathogenesis while illustrating some of the virus specific processes that shape disease outcomes.