In: Biology
Which is the best description of viral latency? A. The virus remains present in the body for long periods without causing disease b. Damage to the host gradually and continuously accumulates c. A person with a latent infection will not have an bodies to the virus d. It is usually lethal to the host
The latency period is characterized by following features:
1. The virus lies in a dormant vegetative and non-proliferative state inside the host
2. The virus has not lost its genome and capability to infect
3. The virus re-activates its proliferative phase as soon as favorable conditions re-appear
Hence, the viral latency is the period in which the virus remains present in the body for long periods but does not causes disease. Mostly, these periods are asymptomatic and presence of virus is difficult to analyse.