Bunyavirales

Bunyavirales

Bunyavirales (pronounced: boo-nya-vi-ra-les) is an order of viruses that includes nine families of RNA viruses. The name Bunyavirales is derived from the Bunyamwera virus, the type species of the largest family within the order, the Peribunyaviridae.

Etymology

The name "Bunyavirales" is derived from "Bunyamwera", the place in Uganda where the Bunyamwera virus was first discovered. The suffix "-virales" is the standard ending for a virus order in the International Code of Virus Nomenclature.

Families

The order Bunyavirales includes the following nine families:

• Arenaviridae
• Cruliviridae
• Fimoviridae
• Hantaviridae
• Leishbuviridae
• Mypoviridae
• Nairoviridae
• Peribunyaviridae
• Phasmaviridae
• Phenuiviridae
• Tospoviridae

Each of these families includes several genera and species of viruses, all of which share certain characteristics that define them as members of the Bunyavirales order.

Characteristics

Viruses in the Bunyavirales order are enveloped, with spherical to pleomorphic virions that are 80–120 nm in diameter. The genomes of these viruses are linear, segmented, single-stranded RNA. The genome segments are named according to their size, with the Large (L) segment encoding the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, the Medium (M) segment encoding the envelope glycoproteins, and the Small (S) segment encoding the nucleocapsid protein and, in some cases, a nonstructural protein.

Pathogenesis and Clinical Significance

Many viruses in the Bunyavirales order are significant human and animal pathogens. For example, the Hantavirus causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome. The Rift Valley fever virus, a member of the Phenuiviridae family, causes Rift Valley fever in humans and livestock.

See Also

• Virus classification
• RNA virus
• Viral replication

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