Session 1.  Introduction: What is a Virus? [Eric Lyons and Eric Haas-Stapleton]

Welcome!  We'll begin with an overview of the course and talk about the history of viruses and their effects on human history.  The remainder of this class will be spent discussing viral structures and classification.  Viruses are, in essence, molecular machines and understanding their structure helps to understand how they cause disease.

Session 2  Viral Infection and Replication. [Eric Lyons]

Session 3  Viral Replication Continued, Viral Assembly and Escape.  [Eric Lyons]

For a virus to survive, it must find the appropriate host cell, get in, copy its genome, make new virus particles, and escape.  In these two sessions, we’ll discuss the various strategies different viruses employ to make more of themselves.  Understanding these processes has been essential to understanding the progression of viral disease and has lead to the development anti-viral treatments for infected individuals.

In-class Group Project:  You're God— let's make a virus!

Within these first three lectures, we've sketched out the strategies most viruses use to generate a productive infection. For the remainder of the course, we'll focus on specific viruses that cause disease in humans, describing their particular infections strategies, the diseases they cause, diagnosis and treatments.       

Session 4  Microarray Technology and Laboratory Diagnosis of Viral Diseases. [Eric Lyons]

In this session we'll describe microarray technology and discuss its powers for discovering basic biological processes and the diagnosis of viral diseases.  Additionally, we'll go over the gold standards (methods) clinical virologists use to diagnose viral infections, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Session 5  Host Responses to Viral Infections [Eric Lyons and Eric Haas-Stapleton]

Fortunately, we're not helpless in the face of these diminutive microbes. We'll describe many of the ways viral infections are prevented, combated, and eliminated from the host (e.g. us!).

In-class Group Project:  Discovery and containment of an emerging disease.

Session 6  First Exam and Viral Pathogenesis. [Eric Haas-Stapleton]

During the first hour of this session, we'll have our first exam covering the topics of Sessions 1-5.  After a well-earned break, we'll discuss the different ways viruses are transmitted between hosts.  We'll finish by describing tissue tropism and viral persistence.

Session 7  Viral Hepatitis and Viroids.  [Eric Haas-Stapleton]

Viruses that cause hepatitis can be either transient or persistent in the host.  We'll discuss in-depth the infection strategies of the Hepatitis Viruses (types A-E), their pathogenesis and the disease they cause.  Because Hepatitis D virus is so novel, we'll lay the foundation for discussing it by describing plant viroids, which are disease causing sub-viral agents.  Finally, we'll discuss the epidemiology of these viruses and how you can avoid becoming infected.

Session 8  Respiratory Infections [Eric Haas-Stapleton]

Although we're all familiar with respiratory infections, did you know that over 80% are caused by viruses?  Of these, the most famous is influenza and we will discuss its history, biology, and epidemiology. Also, we'll cover the more recently discovered SARS virus and the virus that causes the common cold (rhinovirus).

Session 9  Herpes Viruses [Eric Haas-Stapleton]

Most of us become infected by a Herpes Virus in the first year of life—an infection that typically persists for the remainder of our lives.  We'll discuss how these fascinating viruses establish, maintain and periodically reactivate to produce life-long infections.

Session 10  Hemorrhagic Fever and Gastrointestinal Infections [Jennifer Bragg and Eric Haas-Stapleton]

This year Angola experienced one of the most infectious and lethal hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in history. This was caused by the Marburg Virus (Filoviridae) and has claimed hundreds of lives. Via air travel this virus has the potential to disseminate worldwide.  Although concerns of weaponizing this virus have prompted more intensive studies, the primary vector that transmits the virus remains elusive.  We'll learn what is known about filoviruses and discuss what research is still needed.  We'll also learn about the most prevalent of human viral pathogens—those that cause gastrointestinal infections (picornaviruses).

in-class Group Project: ???

 Session 11 Second Exam, Viral Zoonoses and Carcinogenic Viruses [Eric Haas-Stapleton]

During this session we'll have our second one hour exam covering the material discussed in sessions 6-10.  Afterward, we'll discuss viral zoonoses (diseases transmitted by non-human animals) and will focus upon Rabies Virus.  We'll finish the day with a brief review of carcinogenesis (the process of forming cancer) and the viruses that can induce it in humans (e.g. Human Papilloma virus (HPV)).

Session 12  Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV):  Molecular Biology [Eric Haas-Stapleton]

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an important virus not only because of the disease it causes (AIDS), but also because of how its study has led us to a deeper understanding of our immune system.  We'll discuss in detail the molecular biology of HIV and how that knowledge has allowed scientists to produce the drugs we use to control the infection.

Session 13  Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV):  Pathogenesis, Immune Response and Epidemiology [Eric Haas-Stapleton]

We'll finish our discussion of the biology of HIV by looking at diseases caused by HIV and the immune response that is mounted in an attempt to clear the infection.  Finally we'll consider the epidemiology of this pandemic and contrast the impact it has on so-called “first” and “third world” nations.

Session 14  West Nile Virus and the Prevention & Control of Viral Diseases [Jan Washburn and Eric Haas-Stapleton]

In 1999, West Nile Virus emerged along the northeast coast of the United States as a deadly viral pathogen.  Birds have spread this virus across the country and with this years heavy rains, it's predicted that California will be hard-hit.  We'll learn about this virus from a current member and past president of the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District Board and find out easy steps you can take to help reduce the chance of becoming infected.  We'll finish the day discussing antiviral drugs and ways in which viruses can evolve to develop resistance.  We'll also fill out the course evaluation forms.

Session 15  Third Exam and Prions

We'll begin the last session of the course with our third exam (1.5 h covering topics of Sessions 11-14 (66%) and Sessions 1-14 (33%)).  Finally we'll wrap up the course discussing a relatively new and novel pathogen: the prion.  Prions are self-replicating proteins and the etiological agent of Mad Cow Disease.   Because of their origins and biology, prions bend the definition of pathogen.  We'll discuss whether they should be included in a virology course (as they typically are) or left to the realm of cell biologists.