VISNA VIRUS Meaning and
Definition
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Visna virus is a retrovirus that belongs to the lentivirus genus. The name "Visna" originated from Icelandic, meaning "wasting disease." It primarily infects sheep, causing a chronic and progressive illness called visna-maedi. Visna virus is closely related to another lentivirus called the Maedi virus, and both viruses are responsible for significant economic losses in the sheep industry worldwide.
Visna virus is transmitted through direct contact or inhalation of respiratory secretions from infected animals. The virus primarily targets cells of the immune system, such as macrophages and lymphocytes, resulting in immunosuppression. The disease has a long incubation period, typically taking several months to years before clinical signs appear.
Affected sheep exhibit a range of symptoms, including wasting, weight loss, respiratory difficulties, and neurological abnormalities. The disease causes chronic inflammation and progressive destruction of lungs, joints, udder, and central nervous system tissues. Infected ewes may also experience reproductive issues such as infertility or weak lambs.
There is no specific treatment for Visna virus infection, and control of the disease mainly relies on prevention strategies, such as testing and culling infected animals and implementing biosecurity measures. Vaccines have been developed but their efficacy is limited.
In summary, Visna virus is a lentivirus that primarily affects sheep, causing the chronic wasting disease visna-maedi. It is transmitted through direct contact or inhalation of respiratory secretions and can lead to immunosuppression, inflammation, and progressive damage to various tissues in affected animals.
Common Misspellings for VISNA VIRUS
- cisna virus
- bisna virus
- gisna virus
- fisna virus
- vusna virus
- vjsna virus
- vksna virus
- vosna virus
- v9sna virus
- v8sna virus
- viana virus
- vizna virus
- vixna virus
- vidna virus
- viena virus
- viwna virus
- visba virus
- visma virus
- visja virus
- visha virus
Etymology of VISNA VIRUS
The etymology of the word "Visna" comes from the Icelandic language. "Visna" in Icelandic means wasting or emaciation. As for the word "virus", it is derived from the Latin word "vīrus", which originally referred to a slimy liquid or poison. Over time, the term was adapted to mean a microscopic infectious agent. Therefore, the term "Visna Virus" refers to a specific virus that causes a wasting disease primarily affecting sheep.
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