retroviruses
Last reviewed 01/2018
Retroviruses are dsRNA viruses which undergo reverse transcription and subsequent integration of the proviral dsDNA into the genome of the host cell.
There are two groups of infectious retroviruses in humans:
- oncoretroviridae:
- human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV I and II)
- associated diseases include adult T-cell leukaemia and tropical spastic paraparesis
- lentiretroviridae:
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV I and II)
- associated diseases include AIDS, HIV encephalopathy, Kaposi's sarcoma and B-cell lymphoma