Other Negative-Strand RNA Viruses

Ryu, Wang-Shick

In this chapter, four miscellaneous negative-strand RNA viruses are covered briefly with emphasis on the genome structure: paramyxoviruses, filoviruses, bunyaviruses, and arenaviruses. Paramyxoviruses and filoviruses belong to the order Mononegavirales, having one negative-strand RNA genome, while bunyaviruses and arenaviruses belong to the order Multinegavirales, having a multiple negative-strand RNA genome. Sendai viruses are the prototype of paramyxoviruses and Ebola virus is the prototype of filoviruses, while hantavirus is the prototype of bunyaviruses and Lassa virus is the prototype of arenaviruses. Notably, many newly emerging viruses belong to these negative-strand RNA viruses, including Nipah virus, Ebola virus, and Hantavirus. Finally, reoviruses are described, although reoviruses are formally classified as double-strand RNA viruses.