- Caliciviridae
- A family of naked icosahedral single-stranded positive sense RNA viruses 30–38 mm in diameter associated with epidemic viral gastroenteritis and certain forms of hepatitis in humans.
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Cal·i·ci·vi·ri·dae kə-.lis-ə-'vir-ə-.dē, -.lē-sē-, -.lē-chē- n pl a family of single-stranded RNA viruses with icosahedral symmetry that have numerous cup-shaped depressions on the surface but no lipoprotein envelope forming the outer layer of the virion and that include the Norwalk virus and the causative viruses of hepatitis E and vesicular exanthema* * *
Ca·li·ci·vi·ri·dae (kə-lis″ĭ-virґĭ-de) the caliciviruses: a family of RNA viruses having a nonenveloped virion 27–40 nm in diameter with 32 cuplike depressions in a t = 3 arrangement. The genome consists of a single molecule of positive-sense single-stranded polyadenylated RNA (MW 2.6–2.7 Ч 106, size 7.4–7.7 kb). Viruses contain one major and two minor polypeptides and are resistant to chloroform, ether, mild detergents, and lipid solvents; some are inactivated by trypsin. Replication and assembly occur in the cytoplasm; virions are released by cell destruction. Host range is narrow and transmission is via infested food, by contact, or by airborne particles. It includes the genera Lagovirus, Norovirus, Sapovirus, and Vesivirus.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
