Retroviruses: their features and differences from other viruses
· 15 min read
Retroviruses, their features and differences from other viruses are important not only for virologists but also for doctors, students, biologists, and anyone who wants to understand how some chronic infections develop. The main feature of retroviruses is that they carry genetic information in the form of RNA, but after infecting a cell, they rewrite it into DNA and integrate it into the host genome. This allows the infection to persist for a long time, and treatment often aims not at complete removal of the virus but at controlling its replication.