poxvirus

poxvirus
/poks"vuy'reuhs/, n. pl. poxviruses.
any of a group of large, brick-shaped DNA-containing viruses that infect humans and other animals, including the viruses of smallpox and various other poxes.
[1940-45; POX + VIRUS]

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Any of a group of viruses responsible for a wide range of pox diseases in humans and other animals.

Poxvirus was the cause of smallpox. (Human chickenpox is caused by varicella-zoster virus.) The virus particle is somewhat brick-shaped, and its surface is studded with hollow spikes. It contains DNA. Unlike other DNA viruses, poxviruses appear to develop entirely within the cytoplasm of affected cells. The virus of rabbitpox has been used with mixed success in Australia to control the wild rabbit population.

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▪ virus group
      any of a group of viruses constituting the family Poxviridae, responsible for a wide range of pox diseases in human beings and other animals. Poxvirus was the cause in human beings of smallpox (q.v.), which was declared eradicated worldwide in 1977. (Chicken pox of human beings is caused by a herpesvirus; see herpes zoster.) The virus particle is somewhat brick-shaped, with the longest dimension as much as 250 nanometres (nm; 1 nm = 10- 9 metre). It is surface-studded with hollow spikes; and contains deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Unlike other DNA-viruses, poxviruses appear to develop entirely within the cytoplasm of affected cells. The virus of rabbit pox, or infectious myxomatosis (see myxomatosis), has been used with mixed success in Australia to control the wild-rabbit population.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • poxvirus — ● poxvirus nom masculin Famille de virus à A.D.N. comprenant les Orthopoxviridæ, responsables de maladies éruptives (variole, vaccine), et les Parapoxviridæ, responsables de lésions cutanées (nodule des trayeurs, orf, molluscum contagiosum).… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • poxvirus — Miembro de una familia de virus que incluye a los organismos que producen el molusco contagioso, la viruela y la vacuna. Diccionario Mosby Medicina, Enfermería y Ciencias de la Salud, Ediciones Hancourt, S.A. 1999 …   Diccionario médico

  • poxvirus — [päks′vī΄rəs] n. any of a family (Poxviridae) of very large, complex DNA viruses affecting skin tissue, including those causing smallpox, cowpox, etc …   English World dictionary

  • poxvirus — Cualquiera de un grupo de virus causantes de una amplia variedad de enfermedades pustulosas en los seres humanos y otros animales. Un poxvirus era la causa de la viruela (la varicela es causada por el virus varicela zoster). La partícula viral… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Poxvirus AX element late mRNA cis-regulatory element — This family represents a cis regulatory element present at the 3 ends of poxvirus late mRNAs and is known as the AX element. The AX element is involved in directing the efficient production and orientation dependent formation of late RNAs. [cite… …   Wikipedia

  • poxvirus — noun Etymology: New Latin Date: 1941 any of a family (Poxviridae) of brick shaped or ovoid double stranded DNA viruses (as the causative agents of cowpox and smallpox) having a fluffy appearance caused by a covering of tubules or filaments …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Poxvirus — Poxviridae Poxviridés …   Wikipédia en Français

  • poxvirus — noun Any of a group of DNA viruses, of the family Poxviridae, that cause pox diseases in vertebrates …   Wiktionary

  • poxvirus — Any virus of the family Poxviridae. p. officinalis SYN: vaccinia virus. * * * pox·vi·rus päks .vī rəs n any of the family Poxviridae of brick shaped or ovoid double stranded DNA viruses * * * n. one of a group of large DNA containing viruses… …   Medical dictionary

  • poxvirus — n. any infectious virus that causes smallpox chickenpox or other related diseases …   English contemporary dictionary

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