MB 558 – Systemic and Diagnostic Virology-I
These notes are prepared according to the MSc Medical Microbiology Semester II syllabus of Tribhuvan University. The content is designed for theory examination preparation, long-answer questions, short-answer questions and systematic understanding of medically important viruses and diagnostic virology.
The notes are organized according to the syllabus and presented in an exam-oriented format. Important topics include viral structure, classification, genome, replication, pathogenesis, clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control. Detailed sections are provided for preparation of 2-mark, 5-mark and 10-mark questions.
Virology Sections
Diagnostic Virology Techniques
Detailed study of techniques used for the laboratory diagnosis of viral infections, including specimen handling, serodiagnostic methods, molecular diagnosis and microscopic techniques.
- Cultivation and purification of viruses
- Haemagglutination and HI test
- Complement fixation
- Neutralization test
- Western blot and RIPA
- Flow cytometry
- Immunohistochemistry
- PCR and nucleic acid hybridization
- Microarray and sequencing
- Fluorescence and confocal microscopy
- Electron microscopy
- Specimen collection and processing
Medically Important Viruses
Detailed book-style notes covering the medically important viruses listed in the MB 558 syllabus, from Poxviruses through Retroviruses.
- Smallpox virus
- Herpes simplex virus
- Varicella-zoster virus
- Cytomegalovirus
- HHV-6 and HHV-7
- Epstein-Barr virus
- Picornaviruses
- Influenza virus
- Measles and mumps viruses
- Parainfluenza viruses
- RSV
- Dengue, JE and Yellow fever viruses
- HIV and HTLV
Exam Preparation
While studying each virus, focus particularly on structure, genome organization, replication, pathogenesis and laboratory diagnosis. These areas can be developed into both short-answer and long-answer questions.
- 2 marks: Definitions, features, important proteins, diagnostic markers and short facts.
- 5 marks: Structure, replication, pathogenesis or laboratory diagnosis.
- 10 marks: Complete discussion including structure, replication, pathogenesis, clinical features and laboratory diagnosis.