| Component
| Definition |
| Order | A class of biological entities grouped according to
natural characteristics or relationships. (Webster's Dictionary)
Groupings of families of viruses that share common characteristics and are distinct
from other orders and families. The suffix-virales identifies an order. (ICTV)
|
Family/Subfamily | A group of related viruses usually made
up of several to many genera. (Webster's Dictionary)
Groupings of genera
of viruses that share common characteristics and are distinct from the member viruses of
other families. The suffix-viridae identifies a family. The suffix-virinae
identifies a sub-family. (ICTV) |
Genus/Subgenus | A class or group marked by common
characteristics. A genus is made up of structurally related species or an isolated
species, which has unusual, differentiating characteristics. (Webster's Dictionary)
Groupings of species of viruses that share common characteristics are distinct
from the member viruses of other genera. The suffix-virus identifies virus genera.
(ICTV) |
Species/Subspecies | A single lineage of ancestor-descendant
populations that maintains its identity from other such lineages and has its own
evolutionary tendencies and historical fate. (Wiley)
A polythetic class
of viruses that constitutes a replicating lineage and occupies a particular ecological
niche. (ICTV-van Regenmortel) |
Serotype | A group of intimately related organisms
distinguished by a common set of antigens. (Webster's Dictionary) |
Strain | A group that is distributed to a particular host
or to a specific geography. |
Isolate | A viral population that has resulted from being
isolated from a host or the environment. A virus clone derived from a virus population
can also be designated as an isolate. |
