Astrovirus

Astroviridae
Electron micrograph of Astroviruses
Astrovirus virion
Virus classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Riboviria
Kingdom: Orthornavirae
Phylum: Pisuviricota
Class: Stelpaviricetes
Order: Stellavirales
Family: Astroviridae
Genera

Astroviruses (Astroviridae) are a type of virus that was first discovered in 1975 using electron microscopes following an outbreak of diarrhea in humans.[1] In addition to humans, astroviruses have now been isolated from numerous mammalian animal species (and are classified as genus Mamastrovirus) and from avian species such as ducks, chickens, and turkey poults (classified as genus Avastrovirus). Astroviruses are 28–35 nm diameter, icosahedral viruses that have a characteristic five- or six-pointed star-like surface structure when viewed by electron microscopy. Along with the Picornaviridae and the Caliciviridae, the Astroviridae comprise a third family of nonenveloped viruses whose genome is composed of plus-sense, single-stranded RNA.[2] Astrovirus has a non-segmented, single stranded, positive sense RNA genome within a non-enveloped icosahedral capsid.[3] Human astroviruses have been shown in numerous studies to be an important cause of gastroenteritis in young children worldwide.[2] In animals, Astroviruses also cause infection of the gastrointestinal tract but may also result in encephalitis (humans and cattle), hepatitis (avian) and nephritis (avian).[4]

  1. ^ Madeley CR, Cosgrove BP (September 1975). "Letter: 28 nm particles in faeces in infantile gastroenteritis". Lancet. 2 (7932): 451–2. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(75)90858-2. PMID 51251. S2CID 54289244.
  2. ^ a b Brown DW, Gunning KB, Henry DM, Awdeh ZL, Brinker JP, Tzipori S, Herrmann JE (January 2008). "A DNA oligonucleotide microarray for detecting human astrovirus serotypes". Journal of Virological Methods. 147 (1): 86–92. doi:10.1016/j.jviromet.2007.07.028. PMC 2238180. PMID 17905448.
  3. ^ Matsui SM, Kiang D, Ginzton N, Chew T, Geigenmüller-Gnirke U (2001). "Molecular biology of astroviruses: Selected highlights". Gastroenteritis Viruses: Novartis Foundation Symposium 238. Novartis Foundation Symposia. Vol. 238. pp. 219–33, discussion 233–6. doi:10.1002/0470846534.ch13. ISBN 978-0-470-84653-7. PMID 11444028.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).