Question

What is the difference between the lytic and lysogenic stage of reproduction in viruses? Why can some pathogenic viruses remain in an infected person for long periods of time?

Answer 1

Lytic cycle, a method of viral multiplication where the virus infects a host cell and uses its metabolism to multiply and then destroys the host cell completely.

Lysogenic cycle, a rare method of reproduction depends largely upon the lytic cycle.

In this method, the virus integrates its genetic information with that of the host and becomes dormant and lets the host multiply and continue its normal activities.

Viral DNA replication occurs independently from the host DNA replication in lytic cycle while the replication of viral DNA is dependent on host cell in lysogeny.

The process of lytic cycle occurs within short period of time while the process of lysogeny takes time.

The behavior of pathogenic virus to remain inside the body of infected person varies between different indivuduals

The mechanisms by which persistent infections are maintained involve both modulation of virus and cellular gene expression and modification of the host immune response. Reactivation of a latent infection may be triggered by various stimuli, including changes in cell physiology, superinfection by another virus, and physical stress or trauma. Host immunosuppression is often associated with reactivation of a number of persistent virus infections.