Talk:Introduction to viruses

Thank you!
As an intelligent, non scientific adult who is keen to better understand this pandemic, I'm grateful to all of you -- writers, editors - who have developed this article. Plain language intended for non-scientists is exactly what we need. Too many scientific Wikipedia articles are written by scientists for scientists - and continue to mystify the masses. THank you,thank you, thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2607:FEA8:BEA0:D640:B036:6B5:AF34:D50 (talk) 10:50, 11 May 2020 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the feedback. It is much appreciated. Graham Beards (talk) 20:40, 11 May 2020 (UTC)

it's not often someone provides such positive feedback, thank you very much. Read-write-services (talk) 12:49, 10 August 2021 (UTC)

Local infection
Is there a difference between viruses and bacteria for whether infection is typically local or systemic? When we get a cut on our skin, we are concerned about a bacterial infection, not a viral one. We can treat such an infection by locally applying antiseptic or even by lopping off a gangrenous foot. The only such viral skin infection I can think of are warts. Even viruses that cause symptoms on the skin (herpes viruses like cold sores or chicken pox) appear to infect us more deeply than that. I can see that some viral infections that cause diarrhoea replicate in the gut, and those that cause chest infections replicate in our lungs. Both are internal epithelial cells. But are there any others that replicate in the skin, or remain tightly localised in the body? The Infection repeats this ideal that viruses are more commonly systemic than bacterial infections. Why should that be? -- Colin°Talk 15:39, 8 November 2021 (UTC)


 * Some viral infections, such as warts are localised. Other ones that seem to be confined sites on the skin include human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) which causes Kaposi's sarcoma, cold sores and genital herpes virus infections, orf virus  and molluscum contagiosum. Diarrhoea viruses, such as rotavirus, astrovirus, norovirus seem to be confined to the gut - at least with regard to their replication. Epstein-Barr virus is confined to a subgroup of lymphocyctes and HIV virus to cells which have the CD4 receptor. Most viruses can cause a viraemia (be found in the blood) but this does not mean they reproduce there. It's all about the receptors on the cells; rotaviruses attach to the cell through sialic acid containing receptors. Infections are localised when cells with appropriate receptors are only found locally in certain tissues. Hepatitis viruses reproduce in liver cells because these cells have the right receptors -  but they do cause a viraemia. Many viruses can get into the blood without directly causing any harm there (as opposed to in the tissues). Although some bacteria can give rise to asymptomatic bacteraemia (in other words can be recovered from blood cultures), generally unlike viruses, bacteria in the blood is bad news because they reproduce outside cells.  --Graham Beards (talk) 16:06, 8 November 2021 (UTC)

Page query
, MOS:PAGERANGE changed sometime in the years I wasn't paying attention, so I've fixed my damage here. Could you check these page ranges, as I'm concerned whether there is a typo: Is the first supposed to be 11 to 21, or is 21 transposed from 12? Sandy Georgia (Talk)  17:06, 22 March 2022 (UTC)
 * Collier, Balows & Sussman 1998, pp. 11–21
 * Collier, Balows & Sussman 1998, p. 11
 * Collier, Balows & Sussman 1998, pp. 11–12


 * It is correct. Pages 11 to 21 all cover The Origin and Evolution of Viruses. Possible parasitic origins are on page 11 and plasmids are on pages 11 to 12. I really need to update that source but not because any of the theories have changed. Graham Beards (talk) 18:26, 22 March 2022 (UTC)
 * Thanks for checking; was worried I had made one of my many typos somewhere back in the history, Sandy Georgia (Talk)  18:29, 22 March 2022 (UTC)

wikiversity?
would this article be more appropriate for https://en.wikiversity.org more than Wikipedia? Wikiversity is also a Wikimedia project.... limitless peace. Michael Ten (talk) 13:34, 18 October 2022 (UTC)


 * Hi, are you saying it is not appropriate here? Graham Beards (talk) 13:40, 18 October 2022 (UTC)

Made of RNA?
In the lead, second to last paragraph, one can read:

"Viruses, especially those made of RNA, can..."

Is this to mean that the whole virus is actually made of RNA, or just its genes? Since the lead stated earlier that their genes are built from either DNA or RNA, I would guess the latter, in which case I would suggest clarifying this. For example:

"Viruses, especially those with genes made of RNA, can..." Ribidag (talk) 09:13, 4 March 2023 (UTC)


 * Yes, but this is an introductory article. Best to keep the Lead simple.Graham Beards (talk) 09:30, 4 March 2023 (UTC)