Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/defective-virus-surprisingly-243742.aspx
'Defective' virus surprisingly plays major role in spread of disease, UCLA life scientists report
By Stuart Wolpert February 28, 2013
Defective viruses, thought for decades to be essentially garbage unrelated to the transmission of normal viruses, now appear able to play an important role in the spread of disease, new research by UCLA life scientists indicates.
Defective viruses have genetic mutations or deletions that eliminate their essential viral functions. They have been observed for many human pathogens and are generated frequently for viruses that have high mutation rates. However, for some 40 years, it was believed that they were unimportant in natural settings.
In findings published Feb. 28 in the journal PLoS Pathogens, UCLA scientists and their colleagues report for the first time a significant link between a defective virus and an increased rate of transmission of a major disease...
...The life scientists studied DENV-1, one of four known types of the dengue virus that infect humans...
'Defective' virus surprisingly plays major role in spread of disease, UCLA life scientists report
By Stuart Wolpert February 28, 2013
Defective viruses, thought for decades to be essentially garbage unrelated to the transmission of normal viruses, now appear able to play an important role in the spread of disease, new research by UCLA life scientists indicates.
Defective viruses have genetic mutations or deletions that eliminate their essential viral functions. They have been observed for many human pathogens and are generated frequently for viruses that have high mutation rates. However, for some 40 years, it was believed that they were unimportant in natural settings.
In findings published Feb. 28 in the journal PLoS Pathogens, UCLA scientists and their colleagues report for the first time a significant link between a defective virus and an increased rate of transmission of a major disease...
...The life scientists studied DENV-1, one of four known types of the dengue virus that infect humans...
