Assembly, Exit, and Maturation

Question 1

Viruses can exit the cell by exocytosis/ lysis of the cell

Can also have cell-cell spread

What are the benefits of this?

Answer 1

Can evade host immune system

However, need cell lysis in order to spread further, and potentially spread to other humans

Question 2

Measles can cause SSPE

What is unique about virus spread in this case?

Answer 2

Measles virus does not reactivate as such, but is a persistent virus

Very little viable virus is ever recovered from brain tissue

Instead viral genomic RNA and viral proteins are found in cells in abundance, and this genomic RNA moves by cell-cell transmission, most likely through synapses