Skip to main content
Reoviridae

Reoviridae

9.9
A group of viruses spread by insects that infect the stomach and lungs of people and animals
  • noun
  • /ˌriːoʊˈvɪrɪdiː/
  • Specialized
: Reoviridae
  • The virus family Reoviridae comprises a diverse group of nonenveloped, segmented, double-stranded RNA viruses classified into 10 genera.

Examples

  • The family Reoviridae is a diverse group of viruses with double-stranded RNA genomes contained within icosahedral, nonenveloped, double-layered protein capsids (1).

    Academic text (2013)
  • Research on the family Reoviridae helps scientists understand how these viruses affect the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems of humans and animals.

  • The virus family Reoviridae comprises a diverse group of nonenveloped, segmented, double-stranded RNA viruses classified into 10 genera.

  • The family Reoviridae is a diverse group of viruses with double-stranded RNA genomes contained within icosahedral, nonenveloped, double-layered protein capsids (1).

Surface Forms

Reoviridae singular
Reoviridae plural

Morphology

Reoviridae = reovirus (opaque) = reovirus + idae

The family name is taxonomically derived from the virus name plus the specialist suffix '-idae', but this relation is not transparent for an average learner.

Etymology

Reoviridae comes from the old initials REO, from respiratory 'to breathe', enteric 'gut', and orphan 'not linked to disease'. So Reoviridae is the family name for viruses first found in the breathing and gut systems, and some of these viruses are spread by insects.