DNA viruses have a genetic structure composed of DNA and include single-stranded and double-stranded types. They enter cells and hijack them, forcing them to produce viral material. Treatment includes vaccination and drugs to block viral replication, but developing effective antiviral drugs can be challenging due to the small size of viruses.
DNA viruses are infectious organisms with a genetic structure composed of DNA, as opposed to RNA. Some famous examples include the human papillomaviruses, responsible for causing warts, and the smallpox family, including smallpox. There are several types of DNA viruses, classified by being single-stranded or double-stranded, and they are widely known infectious organisms found around the world. Treatment of infections with these viruses depends on finding drugs to disrupt the process of viral replication and spread.
The virus enters cells and hijacks them, forcing them to produce viral material. When a virus with a single strand of DNA enters a cell, it usually develops a second strand as part of the cell takeover process. Some viruses use an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to convert their DNA into RNA for the purpose of making blueprints. The cell uses the viral RNA to make new DNA, not realizing that it is actually creating material on behalf of the virus.
Some examples with two strands include adenoviruses, herpesviruses, and smallpox. Parvo and coliphages are single-stranded DNA viruses. Hepatitis B falls under the class of reverse transcriptase DNA viruses. These organisms contrast with RNA viruses, which have no DNA in their genetic material. Coronaviruses, measles and rotaviruses are all RNA viruses.
People can fight DNA viruses in several ways. One method is vaccination, in which patients are given an injection with a small amount of inactivated or weakened virus. The immune system learns to recognize the virus and, if exposed, will kill the organisms before they have a chance to start spreading through the body. One problem facing vaccine developers is the tendency of infectious organisms to mutate. A moving target is difficult to track and impossible to use in a vaccine because the inoculation will only protect the subject from one strain.
Another option for treating DNA viruses is to use drugs to somehow block viral replication. Researchers study the viral life cycle to identify vulnerable spots with the aim of developing drugs to target the virus before it can enter or take over cells. This process can be painstaking. Studying viruses is particularly challenging due to their small size. Scientists need special equipment just to see them, let alone conduct tests to determine the structure of their DNA and the composition of their outer layers, known as envelopes. All of this information is needed to develop effective antiviral drugs.
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